Take My Sanity
by death-in-the-orchard
Summary: Abraham and Alucard ... Alucard brings Abraham over the threshold of insanity, into a world that the vampire knows all too well...then questions his own knowledge of the abstract realm. Warning: mature content and language
1. Chapter 1

"YOU! YOU" Abraham shook with immeasurable rage and hatred that would have warmed the devil's heart as his eyes pierced into the flesh of his undead slave. His emotions gave way and the usually calm and calculating man snapped. He lunged forward, startling the vampire for a moment. Immediately a jagged grin snaked across the vampire's face and his red eyes burned with pleasure at the man's misery. Soon blood poured from the mouth and Alucard was thrown to the ground as Abraham struck him across the face.

"YOU GODDAMNED MONSTER!"

The house servants and hunters had collected by now, and they stared at the man as he attacked the vampire in his black mourning clothes. Their eyes widened as Abraham continued to bellow.

"YOU KILLED HER!" his hands tore at his blond hair and he turned from the vampire for a moment.

"Nightmares do not kill…" the vampire began, not bothering to hide his glee, but his words were cut off as a boot collided with his skull. A sickening crunch resounded in the open hall and a streak of blood was left by the body as it slid across the tile.

"YOU KNEW HOW DELICATE HER MIND WAS!" Abraham was halted by a racking cough, his lungs and throat protesting his abuse. He ignored the pain and continued to yell. "YOU DROVE HER TO KILL HERSELF!"

Abraham didn't wait for an answer and Alucard's body jolted and his scream split through the air, drawing gasps from the small audience whose eyes were wide as they reflected the horror before them. Alucard's head was thrown back and he threw himself to his side, writhing in agony. Abraham pressed harder on the seal, feeling it shudder in his mind under the strain.

The vampire let out a renewed scream and blood from his eyes pooled into the blood still coming from his head, unable to heal as the seal attacked him, cutting off all nerves and senses outside of pain. Like the twang of a broken violin string, the cries fell from the air and the vampire was silent. His voice rung in the human's minds and they flinched when Abraham turned to them with cold and dangerous eyes. Hellsing glared at two of his men.

"Take that _thing_ to the cells." His voice sounded eerily quiet in the wake of the haunting screams of his slave. The men hesitated but forced themselves to leave the crowd and hurried over to the unconscious vampire with ducked heads.

Abraham watched them carry Alucard from his sight and he paused before following them, glancing at his servants.

"Clean up the blood and no one is to disturb me." Random heads nodded as the man turned and left them.

Abraham scowled as the men retreated from the cell, hastily closing the door as if it were the mouth of Hell. The sharp sound of his boots on the stone echoed as he moved closer to the unconscious vampire. His boots stopped by the vampire's face, the movement of air rustling his ebony hair.

"Wake up." A chill stole into the cell with the man's tone. When the vampire didn't respond, Abraham's blue eyes flashed with fury and a creeping madness. "WAKE UP, SLAVE!" He roared and brought his boot down on the vampire's face. Bones cracked and then groaned in protest as he withdrew his weight. The blood obscured the ruined face for a moment as it reformed. Red eyes glinted under the streaming blood.

"I should kill you, but…Damn it!" He kicked the vampire under the chin, the force throwing him across the floor. "I can't because of everything I've invested in you! The time and resources…! You will serve my bloodline as a slave until your wretched existence is finally relieved from the world!"

There was a pause in which Abraham stood seething while Alucard watched silently from the floor, closer to the wall.

"WHY? GODDAMNIT! WHY?" his voice was accompanied by the sound of his boot crashing into the stone.

Alucard remained silent, knowing full well that his Master did not want an answer from him. He knew from his following words that he wasn't evening speaking to the vampire now.

"Why? She was a good woman, and was I not a good servant? Why do the good and innocent die while corrupt, twisted, monsters like this…" His eyes found Alucard and Hellsing's face contorted into a snarl. "…hateful creature, continue? Why take her life and allow him to exist?"

Alucard couldn't help but flinch at the enmity being released by his Master, and a misplaced grin tilted his lips. Abraham's expression remained the same as he tore into the seal and watched Alucard suffer. He watched Alucard for over an hour before the creature's voice cracked and his cries became hoarser. Eventually he could only let out shuddering, pathetic gasps as the agony continued. It was then that Abraham left, not releasing the seal as he closed the door behind him.

Hellsing mused as he felt the vampire grow weaker as the hours passed and the moon rose overhead. He relaxed the bond and felt the weak thrum of the vampire's existence in his mind. Abraham could no longer scowl or curse, he was numb as he drew out a bottle of brandy, his mind somehow tracing back to his young nephew who was notorious for his drinking. Abraham poured a glass and downed it as if it was water, and he went on to pour another and another…

A manic grin caught his features. It was hours into the night now, nearing dawn, and he turned a silver dagger in his hands, letting the blade catch the light. A dark chuckle filled the room and the bottle stood empty on his desk.

Alucard hadn't moved from the place where his muscles had finally been allowed to go lax. The coming night gave him some strength as he recovered from the prickling he still felt from the seal, his mind inflicting the pain with the fresh memory.

He lay there reflecting on his Master's response to finding a secret diary that his wife had kept under their mattress. It described the Hell that awaited her in sleep, tearing at her already cracked mind. It showed vampires ripping her son apart, disemboweling him, and then other times where they turned him into a vampire or a mindless ghoul. In the last dream, Alucard had used his own childhood memories, only replacing himself with Hellsing's son. The woman had slit her wrists and bled out in Abraham's bed as he was working in the library. When he returned to eat a late brunch with her, she was already cold.

His Master had wept the first day, shutting himself in the room with her, refusing meals. The next day, his eyes were dry and he avoided the room completely. Her funeral soon followed, and it ended yesterday, the first day Abraham entered the room again. Alucard had to confess that it was a gruesome sight as the man had forbade the changing of the bed sheets. He went in there to do it himself when he happened upon the diary. He had stayed up all night reading it.

Alucard had been drawn from his coffin in the middle of the day by a command from his Master, and now he lay on the cold stones, left to the darkness. Time passed and Alucard's tortured mind gave in and he fell asleep.

Blood. His eyes shot open. Blood poured and smothered his senses, the smell collecting and drowning him. Alucard sat up, ignoring his sore and battered body. His eyes widened as he gasped.

"Master." The whisper was left behind as the vampire fled from the cell, passing through the walls and floors as if they did not exist until he reached his Master's study. Alcohol burned his nose as he stepped forward, slowed by disbelief.

"No…no. He couldn't have…" Alucard whispered, not able to find his voice as he looked at the man whose head rested on the desk. His shoulder shifted and Alucard darted forward. "Master!" He gripped the man and pulled him back against the chair. A crazed smile found Hellsing when his eyes rested on Alucard.

"I leave you to rot in this world."

Alucard's face paled though it was colorless and his lips trembled as Abraham's eyes became unfocused and blood poured down the deep, vertical slits over his wrists. The vampire could smell death on him.

"No! You're not leaving me behind, you selfish human!" Alucard tore at his sleeve and quickly bound the wounds as a shadow detached itself from his body, forming a small hellhound that leaped through the wall, sending a ghostly howl down the hallways until the first servant stumbled into sight. Its teeth tore at his garments, dragging him forward as others came into view behind him. Hunters could be heard clamoring, snatching up a weapon before leaving their doors gaping.

The man who was practically dragged to the door gasped as he heard a rough plea for help. He shook off the dog as it let go of him and he thrust the double doors open. His breath caught in his throat.

At first glance he thought the vampire was killing Abraham and that Hellsing had called out for help, but as he dashed into the room, he saw the red, bandaged forearms.

"He tried to kill himself."

The butler flinched as the vampire stared up at him, kneeling on the ground where Abraham lay unconscious. The butler bent down to look at Hellsing's wrists as hunters stormed into the room. They froze when they saw Abraham, but, on seeing the vampire, one of them leveled their pistol and fired. Alucard didn't even seem to notice when the bullet buried itself in his chest, recovering from the force of the bullet and righting himself without comment. He didn't look up as the servant demanded that they stop and call for the doctor. More arrived as a few men ran out of the room.

A few more weapons were brandished, but they went unheeded by the vampire who remained kneeling by his Master's head. A few looked as the monster's torn sleeves and then the bandages, but were quiet. Soon came the request that only a few should remain in the room as it became increasingly more crowded. Most retreated to the hall or went to the front of the estate to wait for the doctor.

"Leave!" barked one of the men, glaring at the vampire. "Leave you wretched creature! This is your doing!"

A few men supported the demand, but Alucard didn't respond. A gun clicked by his head and a deadly voice repeated the command.

"I will not." Alucard looked up, past the barrel of the gun and into the man's face. His red eyes glinted. "Shoot me."

The man recoiled and withdrew the gun but Alucard's hand shot out and brought it to his forehead.

"Shoot me! If this is my doing, then kill me! Though I doubt simple silver bullets will be able to finish me!" The men stared at the glaring vampire as he continued to kneel on the floor, directing the gun to his own head. "SHOOT!"

A shot replaced Alucard's voice and he fell to the floor for only a moment before the bullet fell from his head and his eyes opened. "It never works." He chuckled darkly and the men stared at the obviously insane creature. Alucard sat up, gazing at Abraham. "Suicide is detestable, Hellsing. Why? What madness drew you to it?" A barking laugh made the men cringe. "You have thrown my respect away! You stupid man! How dare you abandon me!"

The man shot Alucard again, collecting questioning eyes from the others in the room. Alucard's own eyes found him before he melted into the shadow of the desk and reformed where it connected with the shadow of the wall. He stood like a silent specter in the corner, his eyes gleaming in the gloom.

Abraham felt nauseatingly weak and his arms burned with a searing pain. Coupled with his massive hangover, Hellsing struggled to open his eyes. The low lighting stung and he winced. Across the room Abraham saw the doctor, and he furrowed his brow in confusion, his mind murky.

"What is…?" he mumbled and the doctor was by his side instantly.

"Don't talk, just rest." The doctor said gently and touched his shoulder.

"No." Abraham shook his head slightly and growled at the pain. "I want to know what is…"

"You tried to kill yourself." The doctor analyzed Hellsing's blank expression. "You had been drinking…you don't remember?"

Abraham didn't answer. Everything felt so surreal, like he was in a dream.

The doctor cleared his throat nervously. "I'm sorry we couldn't get him to leave. They insisted but he refused."

Abraham's eyes focused and he looked at the man. The doctor looked past Abraham, towards his shoulder. Abraham recoiled when he turned his head and saw the vampire leaning on his bed.

"He fell asleep less than an hour ago."

"What time is it?" Abraham looked away from his vampire's face and the doctor told him it was about three or four in the afternoon. There was quiet as the doctor struggled not to ask Abraham another question. He finally gave in.

"Who is he?"

Abraham didn't answer, though he looked the doctor in the eyes.

"Family? A friend?"

"No." Abraham said strongly, and then regretted it as his headache throbbed. "He's a demon…you're aware of what my organization deals with by now…"

The doctor's body tensed and he glanced at Alucard. "A…vampire?" he said in a low voice.

Abraham looked at his slave with a sudden feeling of revulsion but he stopped before telling the vampire to leave as the doctor spoke. His eyes pivoted to the quiet man. "What did you say?"

"He saved your life."

Abraham didn't recognize the statement. Then he clenched his teeth. "Impossible. He would have torn my throat out the first chance he had." He looked at Alucard again and growled. "Slave."

Eyes snapped open and Alucard sat up sharply, looking at Abraham detachedly. "Master."

Abraham's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

Alucard was emotionless. "Explain what, Master?"

"You didn't kill me." Hellsing snapped and the doctor edged away from them.

"Why did you try to kill yourself?" The vampire's voice was a level monotone.

Abraham hesitated, taken aback by the unexpected response. He almost sat up, but grunted when he couldn't and the movement made him dizzy. His eyes tried to fix a glare at the vampire. "I didn't know what I was doing. But besides that, it isn't hard to find the source…a damned monster that killed my wife."

"I didn't kill her."

"Yes! You bloody did!" Abraham groaned and closed his eyes for a moment, his own voice ringing in his ears. The doctor spoke up.

"He shouldn't be excited. Please leave…" Alucard fixed a dead stare at him and the man's mouth snapped shut and his shoulders shivered.

Alucard looked down at the pale man on the bed. "You said that you were leaving me to rot."

Abraham's eyes fluttered open. "That sounds good."

"You tried to commit suicide."

"You should be happy." Abraham closed his eyes again.

"I despise suicide."

"You fear death."

"No. Suicide is defeat. Running away, to escape what you are confronted with. It is cowardice, and a death that does not fit you."

Abraham glared at him but gave a breath of a laugh. "You want to be my death. I know."

"You are not allowed to die."

Abraham was quiet. His anger sparked. "You are not in any position to order me, Slave."

"I won't allow it. You cannot abandon your duty."

Abraham looked at him, noticing how uncharacteristically calm and…human-like he was. There was no insane glimmer in his eyes…there was nothing. "You know that I'm not finished with you." His eyes narrowed as Alucard's blinked. "Return to the cell."

"No."

His face deadened. "What? I told you to go, now!" The vampire didn't move. Growling, Abraham ripped into the seal.

He was overcome with fatigue as his energy was drained. He let go of the seal and stared dully at the ceiling as he tried to catch his now uneven breath. The doctor started and rushed to the bed.

"What did you do?" the doctor's wide eyes locked on Alucard with accusation. His hand found the pulse in Abraham's neck and he counted to himself. "Hellsing, I need you to take deep, slow breaths and you need to sleep…" he froze at the expression on Abraham's face. It betrayed dread, fear, and he almost looked dazed as he stared at the vampire and the vampire looked back at him.

"Can you tell my men to come here?" Abraham said quietly to the doctor without looking away from Alucard. "Now."

"I already knew." Alucard's voice and face were still void of expression.

Abraham eyes widened some before he recovered. "Get my men, doctor."

The doctor hesitated, backing up to the door.

"They know that they can't kill me. When they shot me, I would easily close the wounds and expel the silver bullets." Alucard paused. "I could kill them all; impale them on stakes in front of the mansion. I could tear into that doctor's throat. I could kill you."

"Then why haven't you?" Abraham whispered, leaning away from the pillow. The doctor had run out of the room.

"You are not allowed to die."

Abraham cocked his head, pondering his vampire. A few men burst into the room, handguns drawn. One man fired as soon as he saw the vampire, shooting him in the head twice before he noticed that Abraham was telling him to stop. Alucard's blood snaked back to reform his skull and his eyes turned to the man.

"Sir Hellsing…what's going on?" a man asked, glaring at the vampire.

"I can't activate the seal in this state." The men stared dumbly at Abraham who ignored them, watching Alucard. The doctor lingered by the door. "He could very well kill us all."


	2. Chapter 2

"Yes. That is obvious by this point." Alucard's expressionless face and tone gave him an intimidating appearance with a nature much different from his usual self. A hint of annoyance began as he saw that Abraham would not accept that he was not going to kill them.

The growl from the vampire did nothing to improve the others' pallor. "Hellsing, you are a fool."

"Because I won't take you for your word?" Abraham's eyes were narrowed in a look of distrust while he gave a mirthless laugh. "I would be a fool to do so."

"You are a fool for trying to kill yourself and for doubting your remaining influence." Alucard's uncaring eyes sent a chill creeping over Abraham's skin. "I know that there are other's of your blood that would be able to replace you, and if I killed anyone I would either have to face your wrath or the wrath of whoever succeeded you."

"This is fear?" Abraham smirked and Alucard's frustration broke through in his features and he almost yelled as he spoke.

"Do you want me to kill you?" His eyes flashed dangerously and his visible fangs extended slightly. "I could easily arrange this. If I weigh my reasons for keeping you alive against those for getting my revenge for everything you have done to me, I could easily be inclined to either. I could put you through the same torture you've subjected me to, until your weak life gives out."

"Why don't you?" Alucard waited as Abraham calmly watched his expressions. "You'll never have another chance, Slave. When my strength returns I'll return you to that damned cell and torture you all the same, even if you don't kill anyone, despite this behavior."

Alucard's fangs became fully extended as he hissed, loathing coming as a snarl. "Ask these men." He ripped one of the hunter's shirts as he grabbed the man's sleeve to thrust him towards Abraham. The man stumbled and clutched at the bed post with a forestalled gasp. "Ask him if he minds if I kill him, taking his life as I drain his body or watch his blood trickle down a stake that he will rest on. You may not care if you die, that has been clearly etched into your skin, but what of them?"

Abraham returned a scowl, hiding his disapproval of involving others, remembering that this was not merely a Slave and Master conflict, apart from involving others, as it usually would have been.

"Ask him if he wants to die! Then continue your foolishness and bare your throat for all I care. I'll then rip it out for you!"

Silence fell immediately, and the hunter stared at Alucard, not able to move his head else he would be overcome with his building terror. Abraham's lips were white, a tight line on his starch face. The doctor burst into the moment, astonishing all of them by throwing Alucard aside with a grunt of effort. The vampire's dark features cleared to some extent with surprise and he looked at the furious man who trembled with fear at his temerity.

"LEAVE MY PATIENT!" he panted, his heart racing so that his hands shook as he fought his instinct to flee and held his ground between Abraham and the vampire. Alucard's lips curled upward, taking life out of the man's eyes.

"NO! DON'T KILL HIM!" As soon as the adrenalin dropped from Abraham, he fell back, weakened, on his pillow and his eyes fell half mast. "Vampire." His voice was barely stronger than his appearance and his eyes managed to find Alucard who was looking at him as well. "You won't kill them."

"I said I wouldn't." His coldness made the doctor and hunter that could see his face, flinch.

Abraham closed his eyes with a sigh empty of relief.

"On account that you don't die from this, like the fool you are."

His eyes opened to find the room lacking the vampire. The others started as they noticed his sudden disappearance through the floor and they stared at the spot with apprehension.

"Doctor." Abraham waited as the man slowly turned to him, the doctor's eyes brimming with tears. "My life secures yours and the lives of my men…make sure the vampire's request is satisfied."

Nothing came out when the man opened his mouth so he nodded awkwardly instead, causing his tears to cascade over his cheeks in sad streams. Abraham spared a glance at his men as they looked at him helplessly.

"I won't die…I'll gain control of the situation in a matter of days…" Abraham didn't attempt to smile, knowing that he wouldn't usually give such an expression when being confident in such a dire situation. Instead, he closed his eyes and slowly slipped into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

_The checkered floor was like a chessboard. Like all of this was a game and if one was to give up then they would be free, but this wasn't a game. The empty, dark faces of the guards assured this as they stood in two parallel rows along the sides of the corridor, holding knobbed staffs in their fists. There was a deep purple robe that rustled in front of the boy that was being dragged across the chessboard. The sound was accompanied by the dragging of the boy's shoes on the floor. He was quiet, though the grip on his hair was not gentle._

_The room was darkness, only holding a white, blanket covered floor that the boy was flung onto. Something that glinted broke away from the small body. It was a cross. A shadow followed by a hand trembled as it strained to retrieve it. A moment of suspense broke as the cross came into the small hand and the trembling ceased._

_A purple robe and a shadowed face rose up behind the boy and a hand covered the whole of the child's head. A smile appeared under the turban as another hand tore at the boy's shirt and soon strips of cloth littered the sheet. _

_An empty smile persisted through the boy's tears._

Abraham woke with a shudder and a gasping sob that made the doctor run over to him.

"God damn that vampire." He whispered heatedly, remembering his son's face in the dream.

"Sir Hellsing? Are you alright?" the doctor drew out his stethoscope and observed the man's racing heart. "Please tell me if there is any specific reason for…"

"I need to speak with my Slave." Abraham said suddenly, making the doctor pale. It had been hours since he had seen the vampire, and the sun had since set. "Could you leave for a moment, he'll come when he is called."

As soon as the doctor left the room, after a few more requests that he should leave from Hellsing, the vampire appeared in the shadow next to Abraham's bed.

"Is that the dream…that you gave to my wife?" Abraham's voice was shaking with fury and his eyes blazed as they bore into the vampire.

"Yes."

"You sick son-of-a-bitch." Alucard raised his brow at the word.

"I didn't think that the woman would kill herself from seeing it."

"Then what were you thinking! Tell me that, Slave!" Abraham exclaimed, his voice breaking at the last moment, though his rage persisted. "Tell me!"

"Others have known of this…known that it existed as truth for their child, and they felt nothing. They did nothing. Why would I think that a mother would kill herself over a nightmare that wasn't even real?"

Abraham was panting from his last outburst of rage and he gasped slightly and his eyes widened. "This is real?" he said quietly, shocked by the revelation. "You're trying to tell me that this is…real?"

"It's a memory." The vampire was still in the shadow and all of his face that Abraham could see was his red eyes.

"Who's?" Abraham waited through a short pause, staring intently at Alucard, refusing to blink.

"It's my memory, Master. I replaced myself with your son, curiosity driving me…not a simple malicious objective."

Hellsing stared dumbstruck at his slave, and moments passed before he noticed that his mouth was open. "You're…" he couldn't bring himself to accuse his vampire of the lie as he knew of the creature's past and the rape he had seen did not seem that outlandish.

"But I do not care that the woman killed herself. There was no reason for her to, it wasn't the worst out of the nightmares, and a selfish action like suicide would not do anything to remedy it anyway. I had expected her to tell you, then you would immediately recognize that it was me. But she was a fool, and did not…"

"Shut up!" the man hissed from the bed, his anger recovered. "Don't you dare speak of her in such a manner! Of course you wouldn't care!" Abraham sneered at Alucard with disdain. "You're a monster!"

"And you know that, but kept me here anyway." Abraham's sneer weakened and his eyes widened once more. "Master, you are the fault for her death, through me…"

"No! You killed her! You gave her the nightmares! I did not!"

"You kept the knives where the child could reach them and the knife slit the child's throat in result to this."

"She never involved herself with you!"

"But she involved herself with you and you involved yourself with me, thus creating the connection. I hate you and could do nothing for that hate, so it fell to those around you. But do not accuse me of murdering her. I have murdered millions, but I had no intention of killing her."

Abraham was seething with anger and he glared at the face when it came into the light and he could see Alucard's blank features. "I'll kill you." He breathed suddenly.

"No you won't." the vampire's footsteps were soundless as they brought him to the edge of the bed. "And you will not abandon your duty to make sure I remain as your slave…that I don't massacre London or your men."

"I can be replaced, as you said."

"But you won't be until you die from old age or if I kill you and set myself free with my own hands."

Abraham felt interest in the vampire's words rise again and his rage slipped away slowly, like sand in an overturned hourglass. "Why do you want me to be your Master, rather than someone else?" he watched for a change in expression but found none in Alucard.

"You defeated me. No one of your blood will ever have to accomplish that. You will be my only master to have done so. And I have respect for you, Hellsing, though I also have loathing and hate, I also have respect for your strength and intelligence that are above any other mortal man I have met. You are particular in my memory of humanity, a rarity that is not sure to occur again or anytime soon."

Staring dumbly at Alucard, Abraham found himself at a loss for words. Is he complementing me? He noted that the vampire was uncomfortable with his response and he smirked, drawing out a glare from Alucard.

"What is it?"

"Hm." Abraham decided not to answer, satisfied by the darkening of the red eyes.

"But I told you that you lost my respect, or most of it, with your attempt at suicide." Alucard growled.

"I do not care for your willing respect, Slave. I can demand it if need be, so I only find the respect that you have to be interesting." Abraham's smirk deepened.

"Perhaps…" Alucard began, but he growled, angered by Abraham's response to what he had said. "You hold it in little regard, when you should hold it in high regard. If I respected you to such an extent that I would serve you almost at will, then, perhaps, I would not have tampered with your wife's dreams and she would not be rotting in a wooden box, Master."

"You are my slave. I will not permit you to make any demands…"

"Shut up."

Abraham blinked, interrupted by the vampire's cold voice. "Excuse me?" his lips curled spitefully. "You are my slave and should not…"

"You have no ability to reinforce that claim right now."

Abraham recoiled from the recollection and he frowned, leaning back into his pillow for a moment. "I will soon enough."

"But until then…" the man flinched as he noticed that the vampire was moving closer to his bed, "…you are helpless." Alucard was standing over Abraham and blue eyes quivered in silent fury. A gloved hand reached out, hovering over Abraham until he shrunk away from it discreetly, then it came to rest roughly on the man's head. Hellsing let out a short gasp at the touch and stared at Alucard whose face was unreadable. A few breathless seconds passed and the vampire gave a fangless smirk and ruffled Abraham's short hair. "I could kill you right now, Master. It's such a euphoric feeling after all of these years…the years that you tortured me…" His smile widened, bringing a deep growl from the human. Abraham slapped the hand away unceremoniously.

"Don't touch me!" He hissed, his eyes flashing. Alucard's own eyes widened and then he smiled again, making the man's expression darken.

"The same exact reaction was once mine…when you would touch me, Master." Abraham started and the vampire continued, his eyes dulling with the memories. "You looked at me as if I was some rabid beast when I snarled at you, and here you are…doing the same." The Master and Slave watched one another in silence, both of their expressions becoming masks. Alucard stepped back into the shadows and left the room.

Abraham was quiet for a moment until he could not forestall his outburst and a pillow was flung across the room, where it struck the wall and fell to the floor. "You'll regret this, Slave." Abraham whispered and his eyes darkened when a sadistic smile warped his features and he looked at the pillow. "You won't get away with this."


	4. Chapter 4

Abraham van Hellsing stood before the mirror in his room, straightening the shoulders of his trench coat without real interest in his appearance. He had recovered his strength from the attempted suicide, having ordered the doctor away the day before. He had let the rest of the day pass by quietly, same as the night, without seeing the beast of the dungeons. Now another day had set and the red moon rose in the window that reflected in the mirror, showing beside the twisted expression and spark in the man's blue eyes. He chuckled and cast the coat away entirely before striding to the door and closing it behind himself.

The vampire was perched on his coffin, expecting Abraham, and he now watched the man's calm with a look of interest as the mortal stood by the closed door of the cell. "Master." He spoke the title only to break the quiet and perhaps the unpleasant stare the man was giving him. Abraham grinned, making Alucard frown at how familiar it seemed, the smile tugged at the back of his mind while Hellsing stepped closer and then diverted his path, circling around the vampire.

"Slave." There was an unapparent chuckle in the voice, and his eyes narrowed and widened at the vampire whose face had fallen into a mask to veil his confusion.

"I thought you would have come last night." Alucard's red eyes followed the slow pace. "Why have you done nothing to me? Before you would need no incentive to break a scalpel on my rib cage or hear my screams fall from the seal." His voice was quiet, watching Abraham's strange behavior. "Has my punishment come to me now?" A smirk rose on the vampire's face as Abraham's eyes flashed.

"Yes, Slave. But this will be unlike my beatings…no I have learned much of torture, or pain and anguish." He chuckled knowingly and stopped, the sound of his boots leaving the room in an exposed quiet. "You will regret your undead life tonight, Slave."

Alucard's mouth twisted and he sneered at the man without a word passing his lips.

"You can change your shape, Slave?" Alucard's expression dropped and Abraham circled closer to the vampire. The man's grin did not falter as he barked an order. "Is that not so, Slave? Answer me!"

"That is so." Alucard's eyes didn't leave Hellsing as his quiet answer fought to be heard over the sound of the hard footsteps.

"Good, good." Abraham breathed, leering at the vampire over his grin. "Change into yourself, when you were a child."

"What?" there was a gasp in the soft exclamation from the vampire whose eyes widened in dawning horror.

"Do it!" Abraham left his circle and turned to Alucard as the vampire stood up, watching the human. "Do as you are told Slave."

"Why?" Abraham's grin faded and he scowled at his slave's hard expression. Alucard's body contorted under the seal and his legs gave way with a shaky intake of breath. A whine began to build in the back of his throat as the seal twisted deeper into him. Just as the sound was to become a scream, Alucard's form became obscure, then a fair-haired boy dressed in white garments with a sash around his thin waist appeared in his place. The pain had left him with a red sheen of sweat on his brow, but the blood seeped back into its owner as large eyes gazed up at Abraham whose own were wide and bright. A hand touched the boy's cheek, making the vampire's eyes avert in disgust. "Master." The hand grabbed the small chin at the sound of the growl, forcing Alucard to look into Abraham's eyes. "You've gone mad." He whispered, watching his Master's features warp in sick pleasure.

"I have you to thank, vampire." He chuckled and threw the small body over the coffin. "And now I will thank you…with my whole being." Rough hands ripped at the white shirt and sash and then one was secured to his head, forcing the vampire to watch the events in the reflection on the polished surface of the casket.

_The room was darkness, only holding a white blanket covered floor that the boy was flung onto._

Alucard jerked at the memory that showed in the eyes of the boy that looked back at him.

_A purple robe and a shadowed face rose up behind the boy and a hand covered the whole of the child's head. A smile appeared under the turban as another hand tore at the boy's shirt and soon strips of cloth littered the sheet. _

The vampire gasped at the grin and knew its familiarity. The boy wrenched himself away from the man, most of his clothes in taters as they steamed behind him when he stood. He started for the door, it being closer than the nearest wall. The seal fell on him like a physical weight and Alucard dropped to the floor in the middle of the cell, screaming in agony. His dulled senses sparked to life when the pain left and he felt his Master's hands tear into his remaining garments.

"No! Master!" small white fingers felt into the crevices of the stone as he sought leverage to pull himself from under Abraham. "Stop!" the voice was young and alien to Hellsing, but he did not recognize this as he continued through the cracked pleas. "Master!" the hand thrust the face into the stone and the searching hands paused before sweeping over the stone again and the vampire pried his face from the floor, looking at the door before him. He attempted to throw the man off, but the seal was triggered and the agony whitened his mind.

When he could feel the cold stone and the hot hand in his hair as his body lay bare, Alucard jerked and his limbs pulled to his body protectively. A hand went to his mouth and nose, and a whimper escaped from the vampire as he tried not to smell his Master's excitement. A foreign hand touched the back of his inner thigh and the boy shuddered.

Abraham's eyes glowed and his grin cracked his face as he watched the vampire's torment. "What?" he cackled. "I thought you enjoyed this memory. I now you enjoyed sharing it with others…" he sneered, leaning his body over the quaking shoulders. "…was I wrong, Slave?"

"You sick bastard." Alucard's whisper was heard as he pulled his hand from his face for a moment. Abraham caught the wrist, making the vampire start and then scowl. His head was pushed into the stone as the man's weight was shifted.

"Pleasant dreams, vampire." Abraham breathed huskily in Alucard's ear before there was a short cry and a gasping shudder.

_An empty smile persisted through the boy's tears._

"I HATE YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU! Damn it!" the child sobbed red tears of blood as Abraham laughed. "I HATE YOU, WRETCHED MAN!" A smile broke into Alucard's face and his eyes became etched with the light of madness. "Master." He sobbed and chuckled at the same time, his whole body trembling as he whispered. "I should have killed you."

"Yes, Slave. But it is you loss." Abraham breathed into the hair, watching red continue to stream down the vampire's face, some of it reaching into his smile.

Abraham watched the broken and shaking creature on the floor as he dressed. There was no smile and no tears fell from the closed eyes. He turned to the door, stopping when a voice came to him, and Hellsing looked over his shoulder at the raised face contorted with a gleeful smile.

"Goodbye, my Master."

Abraham's gaze lingered for a moment, then he moved to the door, opening and closing it forcefully behind himself. He pulled back the slot on the door after a moment of thought and peered into the dark cell, finding the vampire's head returned to the floor. He could not see the creature's face as it curled up, hugging itself on the stone. It must not have been aware of it's being watched for a thin are broke away for a moment to drape a pitiful rag that had once been a shirt over the uncovered body, and then the arms folded around the vampire again as Abraham watched it shiver.

Hellsing grin dementedly before closing the slot and he carried the smile up the steps into his mansion.


	5. Chapter 5

Abraham was smirking at the pleasant memory of the vampire shivering under him as he pulled back the sheets and got into bed. He no longer slept in the master bedroom, so he was currently in a less familiar guest room. He switched off the lamp and closed his eyes as the soft sheets settled around him, pulling him into sleep.

_The child was dragged down the corridor._

_Ha. The familiar dream. Hellsing watched calmly. It meant nothing now, though the child had the same appearance as his son. He could easily replace the child with the vampire and Abraham found himself enjoying the dream, watching with wicked hunger as the shape rose behind the child. Then the dream changed and all relish in Abraham became a frigid horror._

_The shape that rose, grinning madly behind the boy, ripping and tearing his clothes….the shape was himself. He was gripping his son's hair. He was stripping him and then…_

_No! NO! WAKE UP! Abraham couldn't control himself in the dream as he was unsubstantial at the moment. Fear rose in him as he realized he couldn't awaken, but he was fully aware, thinking apart from just observing. The experience was outside the nature of a normal dream… Suddenly his view changed and there was a memorable emotion and touch and sound…._

_He was now part of the body, his own which in the dream was defiling the boy. The child was crying with a smile but his shoulders were shivering…just as they had been for the red eyed boy in the dungeon cell. Abraham was feeling as he had when he had raped the vampire. He was enjoying it. He was enjoying the act of raping his own child._

_Disgust struggled to break into Abraham's state, but could not. He had no control and was caged inside this Hell. A door opened, spilling light into the situation, making Abraham see every detail more distinctly. He was forced to look at the door, to look at the broken expression of his wife. She was watching him as he continued._

_Abraham couldn't stop, he couldn't speak, he couldn't even think in the dream. He was manipulated in every way..._

_The room faded and the boy and the sobs were gone. Abraham was in his room, facing his bed. His wife was smiling like she used to and happiness filled Hellsing for a moment, then a long knife appeared in the woman's hand._

"_Why did you hurt our son?" she was crying, her eyes wide and her face disturbing as it twisted in an inhuman way, contorting. "Why Abraham? Why?"_

_Hellsing was frozen in place, unable to do anything as he watched her carve into her wrist and blood poured from her, drenching the sheets in seconds. The amount was exaggerated, impossible in reality._

"_I hate you. It is all your fault. You did this to me…I leave you to rot in this world. Murderer. Rapist. Monster." She was laughing the words, her face ghastly and decomposing like a corpse's as she carved into her other wrist, blood spurting out and dotting her face. "You killed me, Abraham."_

Abraham's screams brought several of his men and servants into his room and they watched with pale faces at the thrashing body. His eyes flew open with a gasping sob and they finally had the courage to go to him.

"Sir Hellsing, are you…" A man spoke unevenly, his voice strained at the shivering figure in the bed. Abraham suddenly lurched to the side, almost knocking his face into the nightstand, and he wretched on the floor. "SIR!"

A hand grabbed Abraham's shoulder and tried to comfort him. Hellsing was twitching at times and trembling violently, but he soon twisted this emotion into raw fury.

"I'll kill him. I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!" Abraham tried to get out of bed but the men and a distracting dizziness held him back. "I'LL MASSACRE THAT DAMN VAMPIRE!"

"Sir, calm down…"

"No! You didn't see it! You couldn't possibly…" Abraham was still trembling slightly as mental exhaustion began to take its toll and Abraham collapsed back onto his pillow.

The men stayed in the room, none of them leaving until Abraham had lost consciousness. Then one man remained to watch him, taking turns with the others.

The next morning, Abraham was ill and confined to bed by the doctor. He refused to explain what had happened, so the doctor gave him a sedative to help him sleep. He woke in the late afternoon and insisted that he was fine. It took three hours to convince the doctor to leave. Abraham immediately went to the dungeon, but his men intercepted him.

"Please go back to bed, Sir…"

"Move."

A chill ran down their spines at the tone, but it was the eyes that stopped them as they took on the properties of a basilisk's, hard and savage, petrifying the men. They did not move when Abraham made his way past them and entered the darkness.

He threw the reinforced door of the cell open ruthlessly, and his features were already a snarl. The men had been too afraid by his appearance to follow him. He stared numbly at the boy who was standing, awaiting him in front of the door, expressionless. His rage still began to build off of itself as he felt mild relief that the child did not look like his son as he feared would be the case.

"Foolish beast." He hissed, approaching Alucard with heavy footsteps cracking on the stone and echoing in the room. The door shut behind him, enclosing the two figures in the cell. "How dare you do that to me?" his voice was still low and his eyes were wide and glinting as they focused on the child he towered over. "Speak, demon."

"I hope you enjoyed yourself, Master."

Abraham struck the smiling face, the force taking the body from the ground for a moment as it flew to the side. When the vampire looked up at him, the grin still remained and even widened, colored with blood. "My Master." Bright red eyes moved with the man as he walked over to him and then drew the small body from the floor by his hair. Abraham tightened his grip and felt a few strands fall loose, but could not make the vampire show any signs of pain.

He began to rip at the white garments but realization chilled him. There was no response from the vampire as he smiled at the man, then the emptiness in his eyes spoke the truth. The vampire wouldn't care if Abraham had his way with him. He didn't have anything in his eyes…as he had nothing left to lose. There was no dignity, no pride, no arrogance, no hatred, he had no freedom or possessions of power or material goods…he had no remaining strands of sanity. Alucard chuckled at Abraham's revelation. "What shall we enjoy tonight, Master?"

Rage filled Hellsing and he threw the face into the stone. Blood collected on the floor but the vampire continued to chuckle, the sound affected as he choked on the red liquid, sounding like a gurgle. Abraham attacked the vampire, breaking his physical body into a macabre image of gore. The vampire snickered at his attempts, smiling with a crushed and torn jaw, not attempting to heal.

Abraham was panting by now and his eyes narrowed and flared. He triggered the seal, grinding it into the vampire's undead life. Hellsing calmed and smiled as the splitting screams filled the cell, ricocheting and building off of the stones. But something of his rage persisted and he watched the tortured figure on the floor. Then a shape was noticed in the corner of his eye and he turned to face it. His lips curled and Hellsing went to the door, leaving the screaming child.

The men stared at the mangled boy and shuddered at the earsplitting cries that came from him. Abraham gestured for them to follow him to the side of the cell and they did so quietly, sidestepping the blood that coated the floor.

They left, following Abraham's instructions, and only Hellsing remained. The seal lessened and the vampire's voice followed it. There was silence during the time the vampire collected his bearings and found his master with his eyes. He grinned at the man while Abraham sneered back at him, a demented smirk in his features. He left abruptly and the vampire was left watching the door.

Alucard closed his eyes and rolled onto his back, but something was tugging at the back of his mind. Something was different about the cell. His eyes roamed over the grey stones and he turned his face to the rest of the cell. All he saw was the gloom and the stones, there was nothing else…

The eyes dulled and widened as he stared at the empty space, his lips parting and they began to tremble with realization. It was gone. The cell was empty. The coffin…was gone.

Abraham's mouth stretched with pleasure across his face as he heard the pounding fists and protests on the door.

"MASTER! NO!" the voice was screeching as the vampire clearly smelled the kindling of flames drift down the steps into the dungeon. "MASTER! PLEASE! MASTER!"

Abraham cackled. "I hope you enjoy the rest of eternity, never again knowing rest." He opened the door, having reached the top of the stairs and then locked the vampire in the dungeon as it rung with his cries of anguish.


	6. Chapter 6

The men had built the blaze outside and the orange flames licked at the night sky, obscuring the stars and the reddened moon with billowing smoke. They watched it with growing apprehension and then looked at the coffin their leader was sitting on, his eyes red like a vampire's as he watched the fire. It was quiet except for the crackling and snapping of the bursting wood that burned hotter for the acceptance of the casket.

Suddenly an undersized shadow drew away the silence, throwing the world into turmoil as the vampire stood defiantly before the flames, between them and his Master. Abraham was calm and he simply smiled at the boy. "What do you think you are doing, Slave?" His voice was almost casual, feinting pleasantry.

Alucard didn't respond. He moved to the man and then stopped again, standing beside the casket, brushing the surface with his fingers. The red eyes flicked up to Abraham's. "Stop this."

Abraham's smile darkened and he chuckled as he rose, making his men draw away without meaning to. They cringed when a fist collided with the child. The new blood stood as his only blemish, having healed from before. The face that was turned away moved to Abraham once more. "Master."

"Go to the cell." Abraham gripped a thin shoulder and drew it past himself, throwing it towards the mansion. The vampire disappeared in the shadows that flickered on the outskirts of the red tinted light and Abraham ordered his men to pick up the casket. Hellsing smiled greedily as the coffin was lifted from the ground, dirt and sand trickling from it, but he froze and his eyes widened as he felt something cold press into his back and two small hands attached themselves to his trench coat. The fire sputtered and then burned brightly again after the wind picked up momentarily, casting Abraham's shock in a shade of red as his men noticed what was going on.

Alucard buried his face further into the coat, tightening his grip. Only the fire spoke for several moments, then a low growl that almost did not have the power to overcome the snapping of the fire, came from Abraham. Alucard interrupted him before he could speak.

"Why are you doing this?"

Hellsing flinched at the unfamiliar voice, but he scowled at the question, his temper flaring. "You know well the reason for my actions…" He blinked at the hiss that came from the vampire.

"Not the damn coffin." There was a ripping sound as small fingers cut into the trench coat, coming around into the vampire's palms, forming fists that pressed into Abraham's back. "All of this….this madness. Everything you've done. You've made yourself into a monster, Master."

There was a hush where the hunters still stood with the coffin, but Abraham's pause was quickly dispelled by a manic chuckle that turned into a roar of outrage. "A monster, Slave? You are the monster!" He made to turn in order to detach the vampire, but found himself held in place. Alarm rose in the men while Abraham was only infuriated further. "Let…!"

"If I am the monster, why is it that I am the one who cries while you laugh with blood on your hands? The fires of revenge and ecstasy are in your eyes? You make the demon cry and claim to be human? You were human when you cried for the misfortune of your wife's passing, but have since become a monster." There was a moment in which many expected Abraham to speak. He surprised them with quiet. "Master…" Alucard opened his eyes which had been closed until this point and he looked at the ground and the stretching shadows cast by the blaze. "Do you recall the dream, your wife's words….?" Abraham cut him off with a savage snarl, his arm coming in contact with the vampire's head, flinging the small body away.

"How dare you attempt to….!" The growl was building with compiling fury, growing louder until Alucard spoke.

"It was the truth! Do you honestly believe that she could love what you have become? A monster, as she said? She would only have tears for you, and misery! What do you suppose you are doing through this, Master?" Abraham's eyes were wide as he stared at the vampire who had not risen from the ground, the fire pulsing in the creature's eyes while his were dulled to a near black by the shadows and the night. "You are making her deserved heaven into the boiling pit of Hell!"

"What do you care of her, beast? You have no heart." Abraham went forward, his boots grinding into the dirt as he neared the small figure. "You know nothing!"

"I know enough that she would hate you!" Alucard stood now, gazing up at Abraham's dark eyes, anger and frustration with masked emotions in his own. "I know little or nothing of the woman, but just as all of those around you are feeling, she would not agree with this change! You were a man! The man who defeated a vampire with his own strength and God given abilities!"

Abraham snarled and his hand snatched the white cloth of the boy's garment, lifting him from the ground. Pale hands found Abraham's to ease the strain, but both pairs of eyes were locked together. "You have no right to state these claims! You know nothing and care nothing for my state or hers! All you bloody care about is you own damned soul! That coffin will burn and who the Hell will care if you cry? I'll laugh without guilt, you…!"

"I'M ASHAMED OF YOU, MASTER!" the vampire's voice rung in the open air of the night, inviting a chill into the mortal bodies. Abraham's mind was blank and he watched the vampire's tortuous expression, letting it reflect with the flames of the blaze beside them. "I TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT I HELD RESPECT OF SOME KIND FOR YOU! I…" the vampire closed his eyes for an instant and his face moved away from Abraham's before he opened his eyes again. His mouth twisted and his eyes widen when he looked up at Abraham. "I ADMIRED YOU!" his lips trembled at the empty face. "I never wanted you to change! I never wanted the human that defeated me, the monster, …to die." He spoke softly, allowing only Abraham's ears to hear his words. "But if you continue this, that human will fade away forever. Please don't do this Master." The vampire and his master watched one another for several moments before Abraham's hand relaxed and dropped the boy in the dirt and he glared at it coldly.

"Then know that this is all your own fault, vampire. Know and acknowledge this every sleepless night you spend for the rest of eternity." Without looking away from the widening red eyes, Abraham gave the order and sparks flew and drifted in the breeze as the coffin was tossed into the fire. Desolation flashed through the vampire's eyes, mirroring the sparks that flitted away like hundreds of fireflies. Before the last of the light died from his eyes, they glistened. Once darkness had fallen, the red dripped from the sides of his eyes and his hands were limp by his side as he sat on his knees. His feature's contorted as the dark outline of the coffin appeared as a dissipating phantom, and his mouth formed a sad and twitching grimace before a sob escaped his parted lips. The humans watched in silence as the face went forward and was caught in the vampire's hands as the sobs grew harsher, shaking the thin frame.

All the men could see was a broken, helpless child…the vampire who had no freedom, no power to protect himself or do anything to resist what he was condemned to by Abraham. Hellsing's face was in darkness. No one could say whether or not the man was smiling, but his still figure told of his absence of laughter.


	7. Chapter 7

Alucard sat on the cold stones, his body not feeling the lack of heat as it was just as lifeless. He was gazing at the door without seeing the steel. He saw flashes and sparks of the fire that had engulfed his coffin, slowly breaking it down and reducing it to chunks of charcoal he had shifted through emotionlessly as Hellsing demanded that he go to the cell. The man had done it. He had become a monster in the eyes of the devil. If the vampire could do anything to him, what would he choose? The man had no close family, the thing that he had most cherished and loved…

The red eyes blazed and a wide daggered grin warped the fine features of the child, making a portrayal of hideous glee. The cackle rung against the stones, giving them a voice with its echo.

"Master…its' time that I unleash my own form of Hell." Alucard laughed again at the emptiness of his cell.

* * *

_Hellsing shivered and he opened his eyes tiredly, frowning as he tried to recall whether or not he had closed the window. His mind stopped and became white as his eyes flew open at the feeling of dampness that covered him and the sheets he clutched in surprise. There was a form on his bed and he dove away from it, grabbing wildly for the lamp. He stared at the crimson and a scream built in the back of his throat as his hands went to his face in horror, splitting his vision._

_His voice alerted several of the hunters who had been unable to sleep due to the events that had occurred the night before. There was the shattering of glass before they came crashing into the room, but their jaws dropped at the scene of the bed and the man's terrible state as he stood next to it, leaning away over his nightstand. The lamp had broken, but the wires still powered the light, casting long shadows over the dead, mangled body of a child in the bed._

"_GET OUT!"_

_At first the men thought their leader had been speaking to them, but their blood froze at the grin that came to the corpse and familiar blue eyes opened and then tinted and became a deep red._

"_GODDAMN YOU! GET OUT, YOU DEMON!" _

_The blood traced back into the creature, detaching from Abraham as his body continued to quiver with his distress and building rage. Suddenly he lunged forward and grasped at the child's throat, falling on top of it as he strangled the boy with his bare hands. The sight disturbed some of the men into trying to stop Hellsing, but he fell away from the boy on his own, his face pale and twitching._

"_Get out, Slave…before I stake you." The whispered breath drifted across the room as the body faded, its laughter already beginning as it spoke._

"_Such a cruel father, attempting to kill his own child."_

"_SHUT UP!"_

Abraham woke with a gasp, recalling the previous night as he felt another mass in the bed. Though this time it and everything else was dry, the body was still frigid. He had tortured the vampire until he gave up on trying to get a response and had settled with triggering the seal for several hours, so the reoccurrence astounded him.

A small back was pressed against his chest and a face was on his arm as a tiny fist grasped a finger on his hand, curling around it delicately. He ripped his hand away and shoved the boy before kicking the body from the bed and revealing the pistol he had stored under his pillow. Before he had the chance to shoot, the body was up against his chest again. The remaining lamp turned on by itself, illuminating the large tragic eyes that gazed up at Abraham while little hands held his shirt.

"I give up Master." Abraham was about to pull the trigger and his finger refused to move at the desperate look in his slave's expression. The black haired boy moved closer to him, tucking his face under the man's chin and the man felt the cold skin with soft eyelashes that told him the vampire's eyes were closed. "I give up. I'm sorry." The hands crept up the shirt and encircled Hellsing's neck. "I don't want you to be a monster, please. I don't know what I was doing before. I just wanted you to look at me…"

"What is this?" the whisper was hoarse, but Abraham didn't notice as his eyes unfocused, too stunned to think or register sight as his senses focused on feeling the trembling body that was against his.

"I wanted you to look at me, anything. I was lonely, I…"

Rough hands pulled the child away as the pistol fell into the blankets with a soft rustle. Open red eyes were building with blood tears and the small mouth twitched piteously. Hands reached out to hug Hellsing again and he flinched at the sight. "I admired you…I was jealous and…I…" the tears broke free and spilled down the distraught face. "I loved you."

Abraham's own lips were trembling now, his eyes unblinking when his arms lost their strength and fell to his sides in shock. The body went to his lap when it was no longer held up by Hellsing and the boy inclined towards the man to resume his position against the broad chest, his face under Abraham's chin. "I loved you. I didn't want you to change." The boy gasped in surprise when Abraham pushed him off the side of the bed and took up the handgun. As Alucard sat up, the barrel of the gun positioned at his forehead. His eyes widened, looking at Abraham's face while the man's expression was cast in shadow. Blood spurted and struck Hellsing when the vampire's skull was decimated by a bullet. The body fell limply on the floor beside the bed and Abraham leaned forward to see it, his glare emerging from the darkness as light exposed it.

"Lies." Hellsing spoke strongly but he was quiet when the remains melted into the floor. Men came to his room and were troubled by the blood that could be seen splattered around the area where the bed was situated, as well as on Abraham's person. He explained numbly that it was only the vampire again. They left without another word while Hellsing stared at the puddle on the wood. "They must be lies." No one heard the whispers. "A monster has no heart to feel…" his mind flickered with the scene of the vampire's recent rape and its tears. He recalled the pitiful action of it touching the charred vestiges of his coffin though the remaining embers burned his skin. "He was lying."

* * *

Alucard rubbed his forehead, smiling faintly to himself in his cell as he readied to lie on the stones in the corner and wait for the night to expire and bring sleep with the sun.

* * *

Abraham threw the body away once more when he awoke with a shiver. "Get out."

"Master." The whisper without a face made Abraham flinch, the voice so quiet and young…the sadness in it stung his heart.

"Leave." He looked away to the bed instead.

"Please, Master." A hand touched Hellsing and he snarled, flinging out a closed fist that met the soft hair of his slave, knocking the boy away. The slighter body remained on the mattress, falling into the comforter. "Master."

"NOW!" the voice echoed in the darkness of the room though the yell was not loud enough to alert his men. "I hate you, spiteful demon. Now get out before I have to waste another bullet on you."

There was no sign of movement and silence persisted for close to a full minute. When Hellsing began to question whether the vampire was still present, Alucard spoke. "Master."

Abraham's hand searched his bed for the pillow and the pistol under it before he turned to the voice with a hiss. The dark outline didn't respond when the gun tapped his head. Abraham hesitated but discharged the bullet into the vampire as it refused to move.

* * *

Another shot sounded, having become a regular event at night and no one took notice of the disturbance in Abraham van Hellsing's bedroom.

Hellsing recoiled when the bloodied body went towards him, clutching at him desperately. "Master, please. I'm cold and have nowhere but the stones to sleep. Please." Hands touched Abraham's face and then fell to his neck and the shape embraced him in the dark. "Master." The shivering sickened Abraham and he tried to move away, but became entangled in the blankets. He discarded the gun with his confusion in fear of perhaps triggering it and he fell backwards with the vampire on him. Chilled hands squeezed the man and the vampire nestled against him. "Master."

"N…No." Abraham stammered as he tried to untangle the blankets and free himself, but he soon recovered his nerves. "Get away, monster." He grimaced at the tears that dampened his skin and then gasped at the tender lips that brushed against his jaw. They returned again and again at shortening intervals.

"Master, I don't care…anything….just to stay."

There was a loud crack as Abraham slapped the creature and turned, almost falling from the bed as he reached for the lamp. The pistol glistened and he caught it in his hands and quickly shot at the vampire without allowing enough time to see the creature's expression. It disappeared as dispersing darkness that left the room significantly cooler than before.

"I should lock it up…" Abraham scowled, but the moon dawned the next night and the vampire was not bound in his cell.

* * *

Alucard stepped from the wall into the room, but he immediately noticed the change. The lights were on and Abraham was sitting in a chair he had positioned at the foot of his bed. Blue eyes moved to him and the vampire stood silently, watching the man in turn. Moments passed and the man brought his eyes to the floor before closing them. He stood slowly and walked towards the boy.

"Master?" The vampire looked up at the indecipherable features and a shadow crossed his vision. A large hand gripped his hair, tightening the hold as time went on, but otherwise did nothing. Interest sparked in the red eyes. Alucard suppressed it before it was noted by Hellsing and he gave a questioning look to the man. "Master?"

"Why does a monster suddenly have a heart?" the deep voice made Alucard blink and his mouth opened and closed, not suspecting the question to be asked under such circumstances. His features could be clearly analyzed by Abraham and he could do nothing to use the resource of his false youth to disarm the man, held away as he was. He twisted his brow to some extent and put his hands on Abraham's fingers. Abraham's eyes narrowed and he growled. "Answer."

"Do I have an answer for such a thing?"

"Don't stall and don't lie."

Alucard bit the inside of his mouth as he continued. "I didn't want anything from you. I was more content, and actually preferred distance. I was and am a monster, your slave as you have claimed. So, I watched you and came to respect you as I've already said. It was loose affection…" Alucard started and he was forced against the wall.

"Just leave."

The vampire wavered but followed the order and Abraham snarled as it left.

* * *

Alucard was propped up against the wall of his cell, just beginning to doze, when he sensed Abraham coming from the stair into the dungeon. His eyes opened and fatigue was washed away from his features with some effort. A short scowl at the effect of the absence of his coffin left when the door opened and Hellsing's boots clicked against the stones.

"Come."

Alucard looked at the gesture as Hellsing held the door wide.

"If you insist on spending time with me, then you'll also have to do so during the day." A smile was coming to Abraham's features as Alucard didn't respond. "Come, Slave."

Servants and hunters paused and stared at the vampire as he trailed behind Abraham while they moved about the estate, Hellsing completing whatever tasks he had planned for that morning. Abraham looked back at the creature once and he grinned at its discomfort. "Are you not enjoying my company?"

"I'm tired."

Abraham made no comment. He acknowledged that his slave looked exhausted and he realized that this wasn't fatigue from being awake during the day. He must have been concealing it for some time. By midmorning the vampire had large rings under his eyes which were glazed over. Hellsing had no pity for the demon, making him sit by a window when they finally retired to his office.

When a maid entered with his lunch and paused by the window, Hellsing began to eat. She was murmuring to herself, saying her thoughts aloud and Abraham caught only a single word. "…pretty…"

Abraham choked and coughed violently, scaring the maid who went to him. He shook his head when she offered assistance. "What did you say?"

The woman paused and a flush came over her face as she realized what had happened. "I…I'm sorry. It's just…he looks like a real child…when he's sleeping." Both of the humans looked at the vampire who was lying back in a chair, his hands open in his lap. Abraham frowned and sent the woman away. His appetite was utterly ruined but he swallowed the food stubbornly, glaring at the vampire occasionally. His strategy of making the vampire sick of being around him seemed to be backfiring as he observed the relieved expression on the beast as it slept. It didn't help that he had a softer appearance as a child. Without the red eyes, there was nothing daunting about the figure.

"Wake up."

The head snapped forward and Alucard looked around for a moment before he found Abraham behind him at the window.

"Don't sleep."

Hellsing frowned as the vampire looked up at him, but his eyes widened when Alucard smirked. "Then I get to sleep with you tonight, Master?"

"Over my dead body."

"You're so cold." The vampire stretched, irritating Abraham with a thankful sigh.

"Why are you taking the form of a child?" Hellsing left the vampire and went back to his desk, pulling out his chair and situating himself in it. He began to do paperwork without waiting for the vampire's response.

Alucard's eyes went to Abraham and he looked at him for a prolonged moment. "Because you ordered me to."

Abraham's hand was immobilized for a moment and his eyes unfocused, recalling the circumstances of the command. A smirk curled his lips mechanically, making Alucard's face become empty.

"You really enjoyed it that much?" The lack of sensitivity in the tone brought Abraham's gaze to the vampire and he kept the smile for spite.

"You seemed to as well."

Alucard smiled pleasantly. "So that's how people usually respond to you when you sleep with them?"

Abraham glared but managed to retain some remnants of his grin. "You offered to do it again."

"Are you accepting now, Master?"

Hellsing scowled and shifted his attention to the papers before him. Time passed and Abraham noticed when the vampire began to nod off to sleep.

"Stop that." Alucard straightened and he stared at the wall before his eyes swiveled to Abraham.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing of your concern." Abraham was reading something and he blinked when the vampire pulled on his sleeve with a smile.

"Can I sit in your lap?"

Hellsing's mouth slowly fell to a gape, and this was how the butler found him as he announced the arrival of two representatives from the Crown. Abraham composed himself hurriedly and pulled out documents he planned to go over during the meeting. He shooed the vampire away to his chair when he continued to stand next to him with a distorted grin.

The meeting was well underway and Abraham easily forgot about his slave. Alucard made no move to interrupt the men, and he watched them quietly. When the meeting came to a close and the window was a blood orange, the men stood and exchanged handshakes graciously with Hellsing.

They went to the door but only one man reached it, the other stopped in his tracks and gawked at the vampire who gave him a fanged smile.

"Hello." "Ignore him." Abraham readily spoke up when the vampire greeted the man, making the red eyes gleam. The representative hurried after his companion and they both disappeared behind the closed door. There was quiet.

"Can I sit in your lap now?"

"Touch my lap, vampire, and you get a bullet between the eyes." Abraham scowled without looking up, finding the whole thing ridiculous now. His plan had done nothing at this point… Abraham gasped out of his thoughts when a weight leaned against his chest and his papers were removed from the desk.

"This is what you do all day?" the vampire flipped through the pages monotonously. "You're such a dull man. The only excitement you have is when you watch me scream…" Abraham looked down at the grin, his eyes flashing dangerously. "...right? Master?"

Abraham dropped the boy to the floor after reclaiming the papers. He glared at Alucard before straightening them. "I'm going to shoot you later."

"You shoot me every night. It's the highlight of my existence."

"That's just sad, Slave. You have awful taste."

Abraham flinched at the demented expression that quickly became humor on the vampire's face. "Thank you, Master. You're quite right."

* * *

Abraham stared vacantly at his bed when he returned from his bath. The vampire was sitting on it expectantly. He folded the towel in his hand as he approached the grin, then he smacked the vampire across the face with it. "Leave."

Alucard sat up, unfazed. "You wanted to spend time with me."

"No" Abraham hissed, walking to his closet. When he came back, the vampire was still on his bed. A scowl was interrupted with a brief revelation and Abraham sat on the side of the bed, calmly pulling out the pistol from the pillowcase. The supple hair that brushed against his arm as Alucard snuggled against it didn't slow the man as he set the gun against the vampire's head, pushing it away with the metal, and he fired. Blood that covered Abraham went back and reformed the boy as it sat up again with a bright smile.

"Master."

Abraham started pushing the face away, but Alucard suddenly used more strength than usual and Abraham found himself knocked into the mattress with the vampire laying in the crook of his arm, his head settled on Hellsing's shoulder. Abraham looked straight up from his position, seeing the blank ceiling as he cocked the gun at the vampire again. "Leave." He shot twice more before he scowled, his temper flaring when the creature feigned sleep. "I have no interest in children."

"I could be anything you want, Master. I just thought you preferred little boys."

Abraham recoiled, but he sneered at the vampire as it suddenly kissed his arm. "I don't need a whore, vampire slut. Even if you're good at it."

Abraham paused when the body went rigid and Alucard suddenly got up. The man didn't say anything as the vampire disappeared into the wall, his demeanor suddenly lifeless.

* * *

"Wake up."

Abraham watched the boy sleeping against the wall and its eyes fluttered open. The red went to him but was soon erased when Alucard closed his eyes again. Abraham frowned to himself and stepped forward, increasingly more agitated at how he was simply being ignored. Without saying anything, his hand entered the black locks of hair and dragged the vampire from the wall. He stopped when a cool touch tried to pry away his fingers.

"I'm awake, Master."

"Come." Hellsing dropped Alucard and went to the door as the child stood up.

Sun streamed in through the window of his office, illuminating the dust that insisted on dancing on the air instead of settling on a shelf or surface. Alucard squinted at the particles tiredly until he closed his eyes and let out an inaudible sigh. His master was easily conforming to his will, in some sense. More exposure was the key to touching the man's heart or at least twisting it, even if this only included his lust. The vampire didn't care which of the effects he could have on the man surfaced. To manipulate him into finding loose desire in children, boys no less…or for him to accept the vampire and grow attached so that Alucard could whimsically rip away at the man's weakness. It demanded sacrifice and endurance on the vampire's part, but he had nothing that had not been damaged by the man and he had all of eternity to distance himself from this period in his undead life. There weren't many other choices. Hellsing's mind was already damaged…and the staff and hunters were obviously aware of this, constantly submissive and obedient, farther away from the man. Abraham was isolated to some degree…the vampire as the only one with a similar madness.

Alucard stood up, stretching quietly before he walked to the desk. Blue eyes glared at him with hostility, but the creature responded with a smile.

"Can I sit in your lap?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Get out." Abraham pushed the child away thoughtlessly, used to the act, and the vampire sat in the blankets for a time. He surprised Hellsing by lying down, not attempting to return to the man. Abraham stared for a moment before he scowled and tore the head from where it was obscured by the cloth. "Why aren't you leaving, Slave? Leave!" There was no response from the lidded eyes that soon closed. "Slave?" the demand was weaker with Abraham's falling volume, allowing a question to enter his tone at the altered behavior.

"I'm just tired."

Abraham's brow wrinkled, disturbed by how often he was hearing this excuse. He recalled how fatigue seemed to assault the vampire like a plague nowadays. While this had been part of his goal when he burned the casket, the misplaced discontent in the vampire's increasingly quiet conduct had not been foreseen. Alucard didn't have the energy to play mind games with as much endurance….and he was more indirect in his attempts to torment Abraham.

The man's eyes grew and his mouth opened for a moment, not knowing how to react to what he saw hanging before his vampire's face. He touched the strand of hair, gentleness coming only with shock. The action made the red eyes open slightly to observe the man's odd expression. "Is this…a gray hair?" He pulled the strand clear from the vampire's head. Alucard didn't react to the would-be pain.

"No." Abraham's attention went to the face before him. "It's white, Master." A hint of a smirk came into Alucard's face as he tried to escape his master's grip to return to the comforter.

"Why?" The hair lowered to Abraham's lap as blue eyes focused on the vampire. Alucard gave up with a sigh and returned the gaze.

"You keep me awake through the daylight hours and it's difficult for me to sleep at night. Also, you've never fed me properly…without the coffin restoring some of my energy, I'm not able to survive off of the same amount of blood." Alucard voiced the statement without any obvious concern.

"Why haven't you said anything?" Hellsing noted the flashing and dulling of the red eyes with a narrowing of his own.

"You should have known."

Abraham frowned at the response and he turned away from the vampire before remembering to toss the light body to the floor. He had known…that wasn't the issue. He just hadn't realized the particular affect that would arise. "That's unacceptable. I'm not giving you more blood."

"I'm not the one who burned the coffin."

"Shut up, Slave. The audacity of your words is beginning to irk me." Abraham bit his lip as his face was outside the vampire's line of sight. "Suppose you can't go without it…" He sighed, talking to himself, and reached for the pistol out of habit. "…I'll have to replace it."

There was a cold silence that made Abraham's shoulders flinch and his eyes widened while a low, distinct voice was heard. There was a deadliness behind it that was impossible for the youth the vampire appeared to be.

"Excuse me?"

Blue eyes darkened when they moved to the vampire that was standing on the other side of the bed, across from Abraham. Their eyes were nearly the same height now that the man was sitting on the mattress. "You don't want a coffin?"

"You…" Alucard paused. Abraham jerked away from the vampire as it snarled and jumped at him, leaping over the bed when he stood up. Alucard caught Hellsing's shirt and pulled it towards himself so savagely that the fabric tore, the sound filling the room as Hellsing was bent over. "Ignorant little…!" The pistol finished the sentence and Abraham's eyes blazed with the heat of his mounting fury.

"How dare you?" A trail of cloth settled from Abraham's chest to his waist, but he ignored the ruined garment and shot at the fuming vampire once it had healed.

"You can't replace it so easily!" Alucard's fingers dug into the wood as he remained seated on the floor, his gaze sharp and malevolent. "It wasn't just a box of dirt, human! You shouldn't have destroyed it in the first place!"

"It was only the place you slumbered, beast…" Abraham growled, but a hiss pierced his words.

"It was the place I wanted to die." The orbs were kindled flares in the dark beneath the indistinguishable black hair, burning eerily among the wavering pale that came from the vampire's face. The single light of the lamp could not touch Alucard as Abraham moved in an arc closer to the bed, his body being in the way.

Hellsing held his expression. However, something deep in his eyes lessened as it froze over for an instant. But the shattered remnants of the man's mind chipped away at the guilt that had come from the rage and pleasure, freeing the emotions back into his gaze. "Really?" Abraham chuckled, making the vampire stiffen. Livid, Alucard couldn't speak and instead lunged at the man for the second time that night.

* * *

The vampire looked up at the outline of the figure that stood at the door of his cell. "Come."

"Why do you want me to, Master?" Alucard didn't move. "You're upset by how useless I'm becoming…" His lips curled as he saw Abraham's mouth twitch. "…Let me sleep."

"You cannot make demands, Slave. You have no freewill. You are mine to do as I wish." Abraham went forward until his boots struck the stones before his vampire. He reached down to take hold of the boy's hair, but a twisted giggle from the child ended the action.

"I'm yours? Master, what an interesting thing to say... 'you are mine'…" Alucard gave the strange show of humor again while Abraham frowned in disgust. Suddenly the vampire grabbed his arm and pulled himself to his knees as he rubbed his cheek against the sleeve, pushing it upward to reveal skin while holding Abraham's hand captive at his chest. "You are alone, Master… even if you don't know it."

"What?" The hiss and Abraham's recoiling did nothing as the creature's strength held the limb in place.

"No one will touch a monster… you have only me." Chuckling, the vampire stroked the sporadic pulse in a thick vein on Abraham's wrist. A boot collided with his skull, throwing the vampire to rebound off the stones of the wall. Blood forked down his face and eventually covered his eyes when Alucard peered up at his Master from the floor. He smiled greedily at the man's disturbance. "No one to love you… not even the dead."

"What of y…" Abraham caught the double interpretation of the question and he snapped his mouth close, grinding his teeth for a moment before he scowled. "That only applies to you, Slave. I care not for your claims against my wife."

"She killed herself." There was a creaking as Abraham leaned his full weight on the boy's head, crushing the heel of his boot into the hair. Alucard's nose and cheeks began to flatten and blood pooled around his features.

"Shut up." Hellsing grinned when Alucard's eyes flew open with his mouth as a screamed issued from it. Abraham dug mercilessly into the seal for several minutes and then dragged the unconscious body from the cell.

* * *

Abraham was taking his bath as Alucard fumed in his bed. A sudden passion swept through the small frame and the vampire clutched the first thing he found with shaking hands. He wrapped his arms around the pillow, along with his legs, and tore at it madly with his fangs. Feathers and cloth littered the blankets like the gore of a massacred body. His eyes were a hard glare until he closed them and continued to rip the pillow apart, only seeing it as the man who owned it. He began to anticipate Abraham's anger at the demolished possession, but the softness of the bed coupled with the memory of the hard stones, and so, the hand of sleep pulled away the anger in Alucard's mind, leaving it empty.

Abraham walked into the room and ignored the form on his bed, going directly to his closet. When he came out and finally allowed himself to see the bed, he stiffened at the odd sight. His slave was surrounded my feathers and the stuffing from the expensive pillow, but that was not what distracted Hellsing. The boy, for that was precisely the word to describe the vampire at the moment, appeared to be embracing the pillow, though his hands were loose with sleep. Abraham easily determined how the pillow had come to such a state, by how it and his vampire's face were positioned. If he had not been in the shape of a child, the crazed act would have been quite disturbing, but for the circumstances, it was almost sweet, certainly amusing….as if the boy had just finished a tantrum… Abraham snorted at the relevance for that was probably close to what the vampire had experienced.

"Is he frustrated… or hungry?" Hellsing chuckled, drawing back the covers.

These thoughts and his good humor distracted Abraham to the point that he didn't realize he was turning off the light and entering the bed while his slave still occupied it. He woke in the morning with a start when he saw the small face opposite his own. Alucard was still sleeping, a peaceful expression touching his features for the first time in Abraham's memory.

"You look like a child, Slave." Abraham's face was blank as he watched the vampire continue to sleep. He tore the pillow away from it and shoved the boy from the bed abruptly. Alucard's face appeared over the horizon of the mattress and the man frowned at the void gaze. "You had quite a time shredding my pillow last night, Slave. I don't care for childish outbursts. You'll be punished for…"

"I slept in your bed last night."

Abraham was dumbfounded for a moment. Then he turned to his closet and marched towards it with evident resentment. "Shut up."

* * *

There was easily a number of hunters that reached the third digit staying at the Hellsing estate, all of whom once greatly admired Hellsing and would have loyally followed the man into the darkest pits of Hell. But since the death of his wife, the men noted a sinister twist in the man that flickered in his eyes at times. His abuse of the vampire had before been applauded, but since the boy was observed as such with the burning of his coffin, he had touched the pity in the hearts of some of the residents. To contrast this, more of the occupants, including most of the staff, blamed the creature for Hellsing's change. This is what set the small band of men who took it upon themselves to harass and attempt to harm the vampire as death continued to elude it.

Alucard opened his eyes during the darkest hours of the night. It was a new moon; he took notice of this as the hunters came into his cell. They hadn't bothered concealing themselves as they knew that their scent would give them away. The men came in quietly, a sense of duty and supremacy acting as a miasma around their demeanors. Their shadows splayed out before them and fell over the creature before the first human was within reaching distance. Alucard smiled at the hard eyes, the soft grin of a child making them flinch. Their disturbance was short lived. A man drew out a stake and another, a rosary, while the other hunters held whatever weapon they had so desired to use on the demon.

"What are you doing up so late at night…while your master is sleeping ignorantly above us?" the vampire chuckled vaguely while the first of the coordinated plans of torture began. He was forced flat on the ground, and the hand that shoved his head into the stone incited a hysterical laugh that rung and became louder over the cracks of his bones or the sizzling of his flesh. He was left alone some time before dawn, and Alucard healed the damaged and immediately fell asleep.

Abraham woke two hours later and went to the dungeon, as was custom. He detected the distinct white curl that fluttered over his slave's face as he was dragged from the cell. Once during the day, the vampire saw a few familiar faces among a group of hunters and he gave them a wide smirk but said nothing. The event of the night and of the ones to come went on in secret, Alucard not caring enough to tell the man that his own punishments would be followed up by individual ones planned by his men. And so, the black hair became a dark grey and the white curl blended with the color.

It was at this time that a collection of servants who had found out about the sessions that went on while Abraham slept, stepped forward and informed the man of the situation. Abraham was speechless with indignation that his men had taken it into their heads to do such a thing to his possession. He stood up, his shoulders quivering and his overall appearance so disagreeable that the servants feared for their own safety. They were both relieved and horrified when the man took his rage out on his slave who was watching the episode from his chair.

"Again!" he ripped the boy from the furniture, barking the word. "Again you fail to inform me of such things! You have no right to allow others to harm you! I own you! You cannot hide these details, Slave!" Alucard beamed at the contorted expression.

"Interesting response, once again, my Master. You are quite a domineering man…" Abraham hit the vampire and ordered him to go to the cell. Alucard did so willingly and soon found himself in the midst of dreamless slumber.

* * *

Abraham stood before the company of guilty men and he waited with bright eyes as they both apprehensively and passionately told of their reasoning.

"The demon must die Sir! You cannot, perhaps, see what it has done to you, but we know well that it is a corrupting influence on your mind! He is the cause of your wife's suicide! He has tormented you and continues to! We fear for you Sir." The volume of the speaker, the universal voice for the men, fell as he went on. "You should look at your expression just now, Sir Hellsing. You terrify people. Some even prefer the vampire to your presence. Overheard first hand, this is true, Sir. Kill the vampire. He is no good for you or anyone."

"He is mine to do as I wish."

The men went rigid at the smile that crept into Abraham's face and eyes. There was madness within it, and they recoiled. Abraham ignored their fright and he even laughed at them as quiet persisted. "Go now, and never let me catch you touching him again."

* * *

Alucard woke with the falling light of the moon, though its hand was far from reaching him, and he went to his master's room to find him waiting before the bed. Abraham turned to face Alucard more directly. His face was emotionless, but his eyes were bright and sparking. "Slave, I want you to change back."

Alucard froze for an instant, hiding his disappointment.

"I know that you have been telling and acting on lies until now. Change your form. I am sick of the your appearance." The vampire studied the stoic man for several long moments before he walked forward, looking up at the slight difference in height as he neared the man after he had followed the order.

"Master." Alucard chuckled darkly, his hair still a grey-black. "I suppose it is over then. I'll return to my cell, but first, what makes you inclined to have me change from the boy? I thought you enjoyed it to an extent…" Abraham grabbed at the vampire, not surprising Alucard as he had foreseen such a response, but he was forced onto the bed and Abraham hovered over him. Alucard inhaled sharply with the dawn of his mistake. He had realized it too late in the game. One should never aim for the interest or affection of a madman. A man whose broken mind twists his emotions and morals. A man who kills and devours those he loves. A man who carries his remains about his person as a show of devotion. Not that Abraham van Hellsing was such a man, but he was, indeed, mad.

"Is this enough of an answer to your question, Slave?" Abraham whispered, leaning to Alucard's ear as the red eyes were wide with the awful acknowledgement of his error. The man's mouth suddenly found his neck and the vampire cringed automatically and attempted to resist the man. Hellsing ordered him to be still in a calm tone and his hand undid the red ribbon that rested on his slave's chest. Alucard recovered from his initial shock and he smiled ruefully at the man above him.

"I would rather not, Master."

Abraham returned the smile and a dark desire came to him, making Alucard blink. "I don't care. I've taken you by force once before, there is no difficulty in my doing it again." With this, he tore Alucard's vest away and split his shirt down the middle. The cloths began to reform but Abraham demanded that such a thing be postponed. Anger began in the vampire's red gaze as he felt the hot hands run down his body. Then his smiled warped to a wild hilarity and his body fell to shadow and reformed with blonde hair spilling over the blankets he lay upon. He waited for the man's horror and rage.

Abraham paused and stared at the face of his wife before he lashed out at it without emotion. Alucard lost his expression and it became open with astonishment. His face, where Abraham had struck him, was red.

"I'm immune to such games, vampire." He lent his face forward and claimed the creature's ear, biting into it and pulling away as blood fell onto the bed, dribbling down the fair skin. He tore away the nightgown his wife had worn when she had killed herself and he smirked with a familiar ecstasy the vampire had worn moments before. Alucard was showing much more disturbance now at his touches than he had before, and the vampire tried to alter his shape again. Abraham stopped him. "No, I'll enjoy taking you in this shape. You must have wished the same when you chose to change." There was something akin to dread in Alucard's eyes at this moment when he watched the man laugh as he prepared to rape the form of his beloved wife.

Alucard turned away and pulled at the side of the bed, trying to escape much in the manner he had attempted and failed to accomplish with the stones of his cell. Abraham forced a fist into the thin back and pinned the vampire down with his hand until he resorted to using his body to complete the task of ending the feeble resistance Alucard was still capable of after his order. His hand went to the supple and memorable chest, and he watched with satisfaction when Alucard writhed and showed obvious revulsion.

"I must remind you, Master." He snarled between bared fangs, his eyes shining over his shoulder. "I'm a man."

"You aren't one right now."

Alucard hissed like a rabid animal, his eyes burning and menacing with hatred. "You're wife is watching." He hissed again when Abraham smiled good-naturedly and squeezed the soft flesh and a hand trailed down his stomach.

"I know. But, as you are, I am still loyal to her."

Alucard's face went to the comforter and there was a tearing sound when he ripped it with his teeth. "That makes no sense!"

Hellsing suddenly hushed the rising voice of his vampire and he touched his lips to its hair tenderly while his hands pulled the night gown away, below his waist. He changed his position in order to remove the garment entirely, and held humor at the sight of the furious and helpless creature, allowing himself to pause to appreciate the sight. The comforter tore again when the vampire's hands cut into the cloth. A few random feathers emerged, though Hellsing took no notice. He removed his own shirt and continued from there. Abraham spilt his slave's virgin blood in the midst of his manic amusement and sick desire.

* * *

Alucard was limp and feathers caressed his exposed skin while his dimmed eyes watched them without thought. He closed his eyes and brought his limbs to himself. Abraham grabbed him so abruptly that he should have been startled, but the vampire was numb when the man pushed him to the edge of the bed and ordered him to leave. There was a short, mirthless laugh and Alucard stood in his more basic form, fully clothed, then lost his substance and melted into the floor.

When he entered and found the men waiting for him in his cell, he paused at the door with wide eyes and a stretching grin. He erupted into a fit of hysterical cackles, gaining the men's attention and surprise at his different form. They almost resorted to cowering in the corner at the strange and chilling sight, but as one man went forward, the others did as well. When they tried to manipulate Alucard as they had before, one of the men cried out, freezing the others when he crashed against the wall of the cell. The man's whimpers of pain were erased by the agonized screams from the creature as the seal stabbed into him. They used this chance to carry their comrade from the room and closed the cell door behind them.

Abraham was alerted instantly of the triggering of the seal and he got dressed with a scowl and ran out the door. When he reached the main hall, the group of hunters, along with a number of the staff and fellow men, were coming into the area with the man Alucard had thrown. He was bleeding profusely form his head and when he coughed, blood dotted his white shirt.

"Call the doctor!" someone yelled and a body broke away from the building crowd. "Hurry now! He has internal bleeding!" "My God! He's bleeding from the eyes!" "No! That's just a cut on his face! The beast was brutal! See his head?" "Shut up and get the damn doctor!" Even with the clamoring of voices and moving feet, all eyes still noticed when Abraham stepped from the stair and entered the moment. A hush stole over the room, allowing the gasps and feverous pleadings to God from the broken man to echo. Abraham went to the voice with cold eyes. He stopped beside the delirious man and then his stare redirected to the hunter who was knelt beside him.

"What happened?"

There was quiet and then a few voices spoke up, talking amongst themselves. A single man stood from the few that had gathered around their friend and he looked at Abraham with a pale, sweating face. "The vampire." He swallowed at Abraham's reassuring smile.

"You went to the cell again, didn't you?" There was more hesitation and Abraham spoke louder, still possessing the smile. "Didn't you? Just tell me." Blue eyes roamed through the collection of faces.

"Yes! Sir! We're sorry! But the monster…!" the man began, stepping forward with desperation, need, and fear altering the pitch of his voice.

"Silence!" The man jolted and backed away from Abraham's flare of anger. The man cooled and regained his humor. "I'm in a good mood at the moment…he…" Hellsing peered down at the shivering man. "...got what he deserved, but call the doctor and have him treated. All I can say now is that you should have listened to me. Don't let this happen again, or you won't find yourselves as members of this organization…any longer." Abraham grinned at the intimidated faces before turning sharply and ascending the stairs to return to his bedroom.

"Won't you punish the creature?"

Abraham froze at the top of the stair and he looked at the sea of faces, not able to find the speaker. His eyes flashed with his teeth. "Just appreciate that I didn't have him eat you." He started forward again but paused. "No. Perhaps you're right." Several men grimaced at Hellsing's expression, unsure as to whether to appreciate the emotion he showed for the vampire, as it almost appeared to be excitement rather than fury. "I should teach him not to touch humans…at all." Abraham disappeared and the clamor that had once existed was only able to return as whispering. No one wished for the man's return.

Abraham finally ended the influence of the seal after he had entered his bed.

* * *

"Don't touch me, vile man!" Alucard bared his fangs at Hellsing as he attempted to bind his arms while a few hunters watched for consolidation. Their comrade was currently bedridden, but he would live to see another day as a cripple. His mind impaired by a blood clot that had starved a section of his brain of oxygen.

Abraham frowned and stepped forward. "Quiet."

"Stay away from me!"

The men were startled by the vampire's behavior and they looked at one another and Abraham for an answer. Alucard was standing by the wall of his cell. When Abraham reached him, he moved away again. "You aren't touching me!"

"I said to be quiet, Slave." Annoyance began in Abraham's face, eventually forming a scowl when the vampire avoided him again. "Come here!" The seal brought the enraged creature to his knees, but he still refused to go to Abraham. He began to give off a sound that resembled a laugh and he spoke in a cracked voice.

"I'm not letting you restrict me, giving you the freedom to do what you wish. You aren't my Master. You're not human!"

A shiver ran down the men's spines when the vampire said this. Abraham was being called a monster by a creature that could be said to be the definition of the title.

"My own wife committed suicide as well. How you've responded isn't normal. I'd rather be killed than…"

"I TOLD YOU TO BE QUIET!" Hellsing pressed into the seal with all his might, real anger pulsing through his body in a tremor.

Alucard screamed and fell to the side, his eyes darkening with the shadow of pain that stole sight from him. After a few minutes, Abraham eased the influence to the point that the creature was no longer screaming, but he immobilized Alucard so that he could strap his arms in a leather binding. He improvised by inserting silver stakes that burned through the flesh and bone of the vampire, searing and sticking to the skin when it went through the arm. There were eight of them, two on each his forearms and two going through both of his upper arms. The metal blackened the skin and smoke rose from the wounds, but the charred flesh soon ran out of fuel to burn and the effect ended there. Abraham smiled at the sight of his vampire's arms bound together before his chest. Alucard snarled at this only to succeed in making the man's eyes brighten and burn with delight.

"Sir?" one of the men inquired after Abraham waved his hand for them to leave.

"Go now."

The men retreated from the door and closed it hastily, afraid of the glimmer that had entered their leader's eyes. He walked around Alucard once before the vampire stood defiantly and sneered at him.

"You aren't my Master. You're some husk left after his death." He waited as there was only a grin in response. He scowled, making sure his fangs were in full view. "What are you now? You are nothing! When you die people will be glad to be rid of you, to forget you! You are hated and feared by your own men! Do you not care?"

"If they fear me, they should follow my orders well." Abraham continued to circle, and Alucard stopped turning with him and followed the man with narrowed eyes. His hands were wrapped in the black leather so that he could not move his fingers. He attempted to faze from the restraint, but Abraham ordered otherwise. "I quite like it."

"Perverted old man, who cares for your sick fantasies? I wonder what your family would think, or what they are thinking of it now as they watch you."

Abraham shook his head and stopped in front of the vampire, enjoying the fact that he had a few inches on the creature in height. "You don't care about that."

"_You_ should." Alucard looked at the blue eyes, his own igniting with anger. "But you don't."

"No." Abraham struck the creature across the face with an empty expression. "I do care. You mean nothing to them. I can do as I wish, Slave."

"They care about you and what you've done to yourself…" Alucard was cut off by an enthusiastic laugh, Abraham throwing back his head and howling with humor.

"You did this to me! You can't preach to me about my state! You can't call me inhuman when you yourself are a monster!"

Alucard smiled unkindly and his arms shifted, making the leather squeak. "Can you touch your wife with your soiled hands? After what you've done to her image?"

"That image was already tainted by it being you in reality." Abraham was unaffected by the claims and he reached towards the vampire's hair. Alucard avoided the contact.

"You're not touching me, filthy creature."

"Are you mad at me?" Abraham smirked at the glower Alucard answered him with. "Because I took a virginity you probably didn't realize you had?"

"You're sick!" Alucard spat, almost shaking with his outrage. He moved around the man, away from the wall he was being pressured towards, and now stood in the middle of his empty cell.

"I have to punish you for what you did last night." Abraham followed the movement. "Why did you attack them…when you never did before?"

"I thought I had been through enough for one night. I wanted to sleep." His eyes darkened. "But why should I explain this to you?"

"Because I am your Master and you are my Slave. See?" Abraham triggered the seal, freezing up the vampire's muscles with sharp pain. His hand took a hold of Alucard's bound arms and he drew the creature towards himself. "You wanted me to become fond of you. Eh? Slave?" He brought his face into Alucard's, making the red eyes grow for a moment before they turned into an icy glare. Abraham threw him to the ground without easing up on the seal. "How do you like my affection?"

"This isn't affection, stupid man. It's a release of your hunger to exploit sin. You want to make me scream, you like it. You want me to beg you for mercy. You wish to quell you're pent up lust. "

Abraham chuckled and his eyes unfocused at the thought. "That would be nice."

"Where is my Master, demon? Where is he in that empty soul of yours?" Alucard didn't get up, unable to when Abraham knelt beside him and pressed his chest on the stone. The seal that continued to stab at his nerves and his own fatigue were restricting any form of resistance he could put up. Abraham leaned forward into his face. Alucard exposed his fangs defensively when Abraham kissed his cheek and touched the ribbon around his throat. He lifted it over the collar of the vampire's shirt so that when he removed Alucard's clothing it was left behind. "Where is the human that defeated me? Who cared about humanity enough to pit his own strength against a monster?"

"I told you…I do care about humanity. I am still Abraham van Hellsing, Slave." His eyes ran over the body with approval, smiling at the affect of the red ribbon.

"You've lost your human heart."

Abraham paused taking off his shirt, glancing at the ruined remains of the vampire's clothes and then the cloth of the sleeves that peeked from under the restraint. He acted as if he hadn't heard Alucard's words for a few moments.

"Perhaps. But I think you just tainted it, Slave. All of it is your fault."

"I hate you."

Abraham started and he hit Alucard in an impulsive fit of rage. He smirked at the blood that slipped from the vampire's mouth. "What happened to the little whore I came to know so well? Whispering your love and throwing yourself at me?"

Alucard analyzed the anger and he smiled triumphantly. "Are you upset at my lies? I hate you. I detest you to your very core. I find you repulsive and dirty…" By now Alucard was laughing as Abraham's lips quivered in fury. He tore at the seal and lost his anger, turning it to warm pleasure when Alucard cried out and his eyes shut. He bit through his lips to stifle the sound and Hellsing chuckled when the creature began to shake with the strain and removed his remaining clothing.


	9. Chapter 9

The beast of the dungeon remained bound in the leather restraint for two weeks, with Abraham delivering blood to the creature himself. No one else was permitted to see the vampire. After the restraints were removed, a belt jumpsuit was constructed for the vampire, so as to remove the regality the slave retained with his own clothes. The men did not object, seeing that the nights were silent and that the creature's presence seemed to fade from the estate. The scientists who had been conducting the experiments on the vampire before the death of Mrs. Hellsing, inquired to Abraham if they should be expected to resume the study in the coming months. Hellsing shocked the scientists by discharging them, saying that the experiments were finished and would no longer be preformed. Time passed.

Abraham became busier and more distracted by his duty, forgetting or ignoring the slave he kept isolated in the stone paved cell. Eventually, his visits dwindled down to twice a month, and after the anniversary of his wife's death, he stopped going. When questioned, he replied that the monster was his possession and he would not die of starvation, so the man was free to choose when to grant the creature his presence or the privilege of blood. There were few within the estate that disagreed with this, but all of the residents were deterred by the lack of improvement in their leader's behavior. Abraham van Hellsing had become renowned for his cold and merciless nature. He was untouchable within social circles and most would adopt an unexplainable fear when they saw the man smile. Many hearts cursed the demon in the cell, while others began to doubt the man himself.

It was a whim. Abraham acted upon a whim when he ordered for the reestablishment of the process that provided his monster with life blood. The blood arrived and Abraham's eyes ran over a bottle on his desk, then the woman who stared dully at the floor. He smiled and her shoulders flinched while she blinked sharply to obscure the reaction. "You may have to feed him yourself. I don't know what kind of state he is in now." Blue eyes went to the window casually. "I can't seem to recall the date of his last feeding."

The woman dithered for several moments as silence began to suffocate her and she managed to respond. "Yes, Sir Hellsing."

Abraham looked at the woman again with another smile that did not touch his eyes. The blue seemed to analyze the woman's every movement as he gestured for her to take the blood, and she came to him. She quickly took up the blood and retreated from the office. After the door closed and she was on her way down the hall, she gave a shuddering sigh and composed herself. She was the current head of staff, despite her gender. A middle aged woman, known for her steely resolve and silence that had few outbursts from her temper. Her thoughts of the vampire consisted of only disdain, and a scowl came to her features as she moved towards her destination. Several who saw her and stared at the bottle spoke in hushed voices, wondering what had possessed their leader to reawaken the beast. Madelyn Blackwell tightened her grip on the neck of the glassware and carried her steps swiftly into the dungeons. The caretaker had given her the key as he was not allowed near the cell, and the woman heard the lock slide and click. She opened the door slowly and then picked up the lantern that had also been obtained through the caretaker. The light shone through the stale air, striking the filtering dust as her footsteps resonated off the stones, filling the chamber with sound for the first time in months, or even longer. The pale yellow that flickered into orange caught the shape and then wavered with the lingering gasp from the woman.

White hair that seemed more loyal to the color than even snow, fell about the face of the corpse, but her gasp came from the movement that followed. Hazy red was revealed when the monster opened its eyes slightly and its chest rattled with a chuckle. "I was hoping you would leave me here, husk of my Master." The voice rasped painfully and then turned into a weak hiss as daggering fangs broke past the white, bloodless lips. "Leave me be, demon."

Blackwell stared with wide eyes at both the reference that had been used towards her master and the beast's mistaking her for Hellsing. His eyes were sightless and the only part of his body that moved was his quivering lips in the snarl he cast in her direction. She did not speak as she stepped forward, her face empty. The vampire Alucard continued to bare his fangs, sitting against the wall, his eyes failing to track the human that came to him. His senses were murky and slow, while his sight only permitted the recognition of the light from the door. Everything was a hazy grey and black. This and the sound of the door opening had woken him from the state he fell into when he was not sleeping. Alucard's hiss grew sharper when he felt a pulse near his face and then a hand lifted and steadied his chin as cold glass touched his bottom lip.

Alucard went rigid at the alien touch and his fangs were hidden once more, while his eyes opened a little to show more of the dull red they had become. The bottle pressed against his mouth, but he refused to drink. "You aren't him…" The hand twitched. His eyes continued to stare at nothing, though they became lidded and expressionless. "You are a woman…" Madelyn Blackwell prepared to drop the chin and retreat from the vampire in disgust when he whispered again. "Where is he? Why isn't he here? What has happened to Abraham?"

She didn't speak for several moments, then swallowed and pressed harder on the bottle. "He doesn't need to expose himself to more evil, vampire."

Alucard gave a humorless chuckle and drank the offered blood. Seconds led to the woman crying out in surprise when the bottle was eased from her hand. She stumbled as she backed away from the rejuvenating creature. Within a minute the contents were gone and keen crimson eyes brightened as they observed the woman. Blackwell shot a glare at Alucard, which he responded to with a smirk. Immediately, she turned to leave the cell, claiming the lantern from the floor. The woman stopped though, as the vampire stood between her and the exit. Her body chilled and began to tremble slightly while her wide dark eyes filled with fear. Her voice faltered when she spoke.

"M..move, vampire." The woman attempted a glare. "I am leaving, now."

A stronger, daunting chuckle froze her blood and the vampire stepped towards her slowly, like a predator moving in on its helpless prey. A lion and a lamb. Madelyn Blackwell surely felt like prey as she gazed up into the blood-colored eyes and the fangs that flashed within a dark grin. Alucard lifted his hand, but the woman could not see it, paralyzed with her attention locked with the creature's eyes.

"Take it. I have no need for an empty wine bottle."

Madelyn jolted and quickly dropped her eyes to the bottle that was directed towards her, a pale hand holding the neck parallel to the ground. Disbelief forestalled her relief and she hesitantly took the object and walked to the door when Alucard moved aside. Both watched one another until the woman rounded the corner of the doorway. Alucard scoffed at the neglect, moving to close the forgotten door. The vampire stared at the metal thoughtfully. His face was devoid of feeling.

"What is that man planning now?" Alucard pondered the subject numbly, noting a familiar heartbeat in the back of his mind. He leaned forward and then fazed through the door.

A cry went unheard in the dungeons as the caretaker fell away from the vampire when it suddenly appeared before him, whispering curses with deadening eyes. "G…go back t..to your cell!" he stammered, beginning to stand. The man cringed at a pain that spiked in his back. "You aren't supposed to leave it or have contact with humans, vampire!"

Alucard ignored the man's disrespect, finding his opinion to be worthless. "What is the date today?"

The caretaker's eyes grew, looking at the vampire more closely in the stupor of his shock. "What?"

"What is the date today?"

"S..September 24th."

The vampire's brow furrowed while his mouth frowned. "How long have I been down here?"

"I…I don't know…but it's been over a year…maybe two." Scowled the man and he thrust his hand down the hall. "Go back to your…!" His yell fell short when he realized the vampire was gone. Nervously, shifting eyes went to the walls and about the corridor, hoping the vampire had gone to the cell and that no one had witnessed the exchange. A muttered string of curses trailed behind him as boots stomped on the stones, distancing the human from the vampire's cell.

* * *

The vampire glared at the door as it creaked open, baring his fangs when a loathed visage appeared. "Why didn't you just leave me be? Why revive me, demon?" He spat the words venomously.

Hellsing flashed a cold smile and held it as he approached the vampire who sat against the wall, one knee drawn up with an arm hanging off of it. "I didn't 'leave you be' because I decided to relish your company after many months of growing boredom." His eyes flashed and his mouth turned. "Call me Master. Always refer to me as thus, Slave."

Alucard attempted to call him otherwise but the seal instantly sent a jolt of pain coursing through his nerves. The red eyes narrowed further. "I hate you."

"None of that either."

There was a hiss and Abraham smiled again, stopping and looking down at the vampire who remained sitting on the stones.

"Did you enjoy your rest?"

Alucard's lips twisted into a sneer. "I did. Too bad I didn't starve to death. Eh? _Master_?"

"You wouldn't die so easily."

Alucard snorted and turned his eyes away from the man to find the wall to his left which was resting in gloom. "Why have you come?" Suddenly, Hellsing was crouched before the vampire and a rough hand clasped Alucard's face, covering his mouth, as his eyes were forced to look at the blue, flashing orbs.

"Because I wished to visit you." Abraham leered while the beast let out a rumbling growl from his chest. "Surely you missed me."

"I wish you the warmest place in Hell, Master." Came a muffled voice.

"Thank you, but that will probably be your own eternal domain, Slave" Abraham grinned, showing his teeth at the loathing that swirled in Alucard's eyes. "There is no sin in what I do to you, monster. You are hated, so no one cares." Blue eyes lingered on the crimson and a frown threatened the man's smile, eventually toppling it. His demeanor grew frigid, making Alucard blink as the large hand moved over his cheek and blunt fingers made him close his right eye when they touched it. "Your eyes are as beautiful as they are hateful, Slave." A finger tip gently caressed the sensitive skin. The hand shifted again and a thumb rested on the nosferatu's eye. "They are bothersome."

"What are you doing?" Alucard's left eye widened as pressure began to increase on the other and his lips parted. The pressure continued to grow and he jerked and began to resist the touch.

"Stop. Don't move."

Pain from the seal flushed through the creature nerves, paralyzing him and Alucard stared at the stoic face with a flickering of fear. "What are you doing, Master?"

"I am taking your eye."

Blood spurted along with other fluids, dribbling down the shocked features of the silent being. Alucard gazed at the human, utterly lost at the glee he saw in the blue orbs. The wound began to heal and Hellsing snapped sharply at Alucard. "Stop. Do not heal it, but you may stop the bleeding and absorb the blood. I don't want a mess." The bleeding ceased, leaving the gaping wound behind. Abraham smirked at the continued silence. "You may keep the other. Thank me for granting you with this gift."

"Rot in Hell."

Abraham sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. The screams that had been absent from the stones and the man's ears pierced the air and Abraham was able to smile contently as the vampire was racked with agony. A new wave of pain came over Alucard and his single eye shot open, having closed at the triggering of the seal. He gave a blood curdling cry while Abraham walked to the door. "I'll get you something to cover that wound, Slave. Thank me properly then, or you can spend the next twenty-four hours enjoying the seal's influence."

* * *

Madelyn Blackwell sighed heatedly before pushing the door open with her foot after having unlocked and unlatched the door. She left it gapping to gain as much light as possible to disperse the murkiness of the cell. The vampire was lying on his back near the wall, watching the ceiling. A red eye closed and then opened to look at her. "So you shall bring the blood every other day?"

The bottle in her hand wasn't even half full and the liquid sloshed loudly to tell of the vacant space. Irritated, she threw the bottle in his direction and an arm shot up, catching it gracefully. "Twice a week. Now drink it, vampire. I have better things to do at the moment."

"Hm." Alucard debated just drinking on the floor, but it was a little too crude for his taste, so he sat up. While he uncorked the bottle and drank the meager amount of blood, the woman stared at the large, black eye patch. It blended with his hair, creating the illusion of half of the vampire's face being cast in shadow.

"Why are you wearing that?"

The vampire ignored her, finishing off the blood.

"What happened to your eye?"

"Concerned? I'm touched." He threw her a derisive smirk, then got up to hand her the bottle, doubting her ability to catch it in this lighting.

Blackwell grit her teeth and snatched the bottle away. "Whatever happened to your eye, I hope it hurt like the devil's pitchfork going up your arse."

The vampire snorted at the absurd statement as the woman left. "No, my Master decided I only needed one eye so he gouged it out with his fingers."

Glass fell across the floor when the bottle shattered and wide eyes peered from a starch face when Madelyn looked back at the vampire. "Wh..what?" she whispered, her voice shaking. Alucard frowned at the expression, his eyes beginning to glow with thoughts.

"Why did you believe me so readily?"

"Is it a lie?" she demanded, almost yelling.

"No. I don't lie."

Blackwell shivered, then clenched her fists and glared daggers into the beast. "To Hell with your putrid words, monster. You speak only lies."

"Why did you believe me?"

Something cold and overpowering in the voice froze the woman's limbs and she could not go to the door. She began to tremble faintly, losing her glare. "Sir Hellsing's character has never been one of violence towards people. You are lying."

"I'm not a person."

"He may be cold and intimidating, but he is only like that because of you…demon." Her posture straightened abruptly. "I hope you do speak the truth…for you have deserved it fully!" She ran out of the cell, leaving silence.

* * *

"Master." A voice chuckled in the overbearing darkness of the cell and a red moon flared. "What, pray tell, are these delightful toys?"

Silver glinted as fingers of light stroked the blades that Abraham set on the cloth he had laid out on the floor. He lit the lanterns that branched from the walls with stems of black iron as their bases. Alucard watched the man as the room grew brighter. He made no further comments, still weary of his past visits and what lust they had quelled in the man. Now he was quenching his feelings of blood lust, Alucard mused with a grave smile. He lost the expression when the man turned to the instruments.

"Why do you send that woman to deliver the blood?"

A hand ran over the knives and scalpels, the blades flashing with the color of his flesh. "I am busy."

"Even at this hour?"Feinted arrogance weighted the tone while the vampire watched the silver. "You could give me the blood after your visits."

"I will eventually resume the chore." Blue eyes sparked and a malevolent grin hovered before the vampire as the man suddenly grasped a pale wrist and wrenched it towards himself. "What shall I take today, Slave? What is your preference? Hm?" Disgust pulsed through the vampire's unbeating heart and he sneered at the man's pleasant tone of voice that greatly contrasted with his devilish expression.

"You've taken all of me, Master. I thought you claimed to own me."

Abraham chuckled and a scalpel plunged into the undead flesh. "Good answer. You are correct."

"Are you taking things from me because off all you've had stolen from you in the past?" The vampire was grinning.

Hellsing beamed happily and chortled as he dragged the blade up his slave's arm, pausing to undo some of the belts. "I believe you wish for me to remind you something rather important, Slave."

Alucard's gaze became listless as he watched the man carve words into his skin and muscle tissue, ordering him not to heal himself. He sliced through the top knuckle of the vampire's left pinkie, on the same arm of the carvings. Hellsing gathered his instruments, tossing the vampire a roll of white bandages. "Only for the hand. Keep the other…in sight." He smiled at the door, his silhouette becoming undefined with the interference of smoke from the candles. They wrapped around the man snuggly until he broke the embrace and shut the door.

Blackwell noticed the bandages that disappeared under the trailing straps of the vampire's sleeve as he handed her the bottle. The arm was at a slightly awkward angle to keep the straps in place. "What's wrong with your arm?"

Alucard smirked, walking back to the wall and sitting against it. "Nothing. It's a gift, I suppose, from my Master."

Her eyes ran over the straps as the arm rested on the creature's thigh, and then met with the bandaged fist. "What about your hand?"

"You're quite curious. I'm sure you know what that usually leads to." Alucard chuckled to himself.

"Is that a threat?" she challenged, fully confident in the seal and her master's order by now, she had little fear of the vampire.

"No. Not really." An indifferent look came to the vampire's features and his eyes went to the wall as if her presence was meaningless.

Blackwell left the cell, seething with outrage, but remembered to slam the door shut.

She walked up the stairs, leaving the dungeon behind as she muttered to herself, cursing the devil that rested under her feet. She ground her heel into the floor for spite. Madelyn passed a ladder where two men were easing a window pane out of its frame. One of the two men eyed a passing figure and his fingers loosened and set the glass at a tilt. Suddenly, he felt the pane wobble dangerously as the other man attempted to stable it and he hurriedly tried to do the same, panic rising violently in him. He couldn't speak as the other man exclaimed a warning to the oblivious figure and the glass fell over the head, instantly knocking out its victim.

Mrs. Blackwell turned around, distracted from her muttering by the yell and she saw as the pane came crashing down on Abraham. She stood, dumbfounded, as a man jumped from the ladder and frantically tried to lift the window by himself. No one else came to help him as he pleaded for them to regain their senses. He sighed when another figure stooped to help with the glass, but before the man could finish his sigh and help, the pane was thrown against the wall with a rabid hiss.

"Damn you, you stupid man! Don't walk around with your nose in your papers!" The room fell into chaos as the vampire knelt over his Master and snarled at servants and hunters who had come to investigate the noise, ordering one to fetch the doctor. Then Alucard barked at a man, demanding that he refrain from touching Abraham. "Who knows what damage has been done to his neck, fool! Don't move him until I check!"

A single click silenced the room and a gun tapped the vampire's temple. Several more clicks followed. The vampire's hair masked his face as he bent forward, looking over the man's neck and the top of his spine. Fingers went to part the blonde hair to see the gash on Abraham's head where the blood was seeping from. The flow was beginning to clot by the time a bandaged hand touched the man's hair, but a bullet thundered through the enclosed space, ripping into the vampire's skull. There were random gasps when the vampire's body didn't fall and the hands continued as the back of Alucard's skull reformed.

"Why are you doing this, vampire?"

All mortal eyes turned down the hall where Madelyn Blackwell stood pale and drawn. Slowly, the vampire finished and raised his head and looked back at her over his shoulder. Several eyes widened as the eye patch and then realized the presence of the white bandages. Straps still covered the monster's arm. "I told you that curiosity is dangerous, woman." The red eye captured the light and the woman's gaze was held. "Do not involve yourself. There are only victims in war. And that does not exclude this one."

Moments passed and a man asked if they should move Sir Hellsing, to which Alucard replied 'no', putting a hand on his sleeve to keep it in place as straps dangled and shifted dangerously. "I don't like the feel of his neck. He should have a splint to make sure."

"The vampire acting as a doctor?" a voice scoffed and red darted through the bodies to find it but another spoke, distracting him, and then another…and another. "We should move him." "Screw the demon. He wants to let the man bleed to death." "Damned creature." There was a shot and blood exploded across the corridor, raining from Alucard's stolid figure. The gore produced a hush when it failed to affect the vampire in any way.

"I have one request that I think most would be keen to grant." Alucard spoke and a narrowed eye glared at the humans surrounding him as he gave a fanged smirk to hear their heart beats jump. "I am rather hungry at the moment and your silver bullets do not help my state, so I'd advise all virgins to leave the room and for you to stop shooting me. Abraham is incapacitated… Do you believe there is anyone currently protecting you? In all reality?" His smile became more reasonable at the lifeless eyes. "No. There is not. Such a feeling of déjà vu, isn't it?" He smiled mockingly at Blackwell when he heard her steps come closer.

Horror swallowed the souls of those who saw the palm fall. Blackwell slapped Alucard across the face, without any signs of fear or doubt. His eye stared at her in silence and then he chuckled when she spoke in a cold tone. "Pathetic creature, do you really think I'd believe such bull? You would kill Sir Hellsing before you killed any one of us."

His humor drew out into a sigh and the vampire absently fixed the black patch that had been knocked askew. "Such bravado… Unfortunately your logic is rather lacking the reality of the situation." Blackwell stood unfazed until she found herself sliding from the wall after colliding with it, her vision blurring and worsening with her feeble gasp of surprise. She heard a final voice before her world darkened to black. "I would kill all of you before I ever touched my Master."

* * *

I would never touch him…then what has? What happened to my Master? Abraham van Hellsing… All he's done…why am I doing this for him? Where is my anger? My hate? What…is this?

* * *

The vampire was staring blankly at the bed his Master slept in, not having woken up yet. The doctor was the first the notice the odd and distant expression on the vampire's face. "Um…Hello? Er…Mr. Vampire or…eh…" he his voice trailed off slowly. He realized the vampire was not responding and didn't seem to notice him and a pair of glasses looked at the hunters around him for some help. Finding none, he walked up to a few standing just outside the door. "Do you know what the vampire's name is?"

The hunters were stunned as they could not recall the answer to the doctor's question. "Didn't Sir Hellsing name him? Like a pet or something?" "Do you know the vampire's name?" someone called down the hall and a group came together, drawn by the curious mystery. "What is the vampire's name?"

"Vladimir."

The men looked amongst each other to see who had spoken, but the ones standing closest to the door froze and watched the unresponsive vampire, seeming to unconsciously answer the question. A few bold hunters stepped into the doorway and asked him to repeat himself. Alucard turned to look at them, then found that he would have to turn the opposite way to use his left eye. "Which one? My real name or the other?"

The men stared, obviously seeing the 'off' behavior of the creature. He looked…he sounded…positively…'human'. Although, a second of analysis led all minds to agree that he seemed dazed, preoccupied with something.

"Your current name?" someone offered.

The vampire turned to his Master once more. "Alucard."

A large portion of the group retreated, despising the vampire too much to handle being this close to him. A few remaining individuals entered the room, following the doctor who walked, boldly, up to the vampire. "Alucard, then?" he looked at the dilated pupils that he knew were seeing nothing of the room. "Is…" he began to hesitate as he remembered what he was talking to. He moved away abruptly, but guilt instantly dragged him back to the creature. "Are you okay?"

"What an odd question." Alucard gave a halfhearted laugh and his eyes focused on Abraham. "I'm dead…and I'm a vampire. My well being doesn't matter to you in the least."

"Oh…um…" the doctor took a step back as the hunters closed in, interest moving their feet for them. "Maybe I can help?" the professional scanned the vampire, startled to find the bandages, the eye patch, and the way he was holding one of his forearms tightly. His eyes went back to the bandages which he knew he could improve. "What's wrong with your hand?"

"Nothing."

The doctor hesitated. "Then why do you have those bandages?"

"For my finger…and hand..." Alucard's tunneled vision still remained on Abraham, his eyes rarely blinking.

The humans were at a loss of words for several moments. "Can't you regenerate it?" a random voice asked.

"I've been ordered not to."

"But you can now, since…" the man suddenly realized he was probably saying something he shouldn't so he stopped and rung his hands nervously. Anxiety levels were rising alarmingly fast. All they needed was the vampire to go nuts on them and kill them all. It sent chills from their cheeks to their toes, stealing away their pallor and strength. They recovered quickly and the doctor asked what had happened. Alucard didn't answer. The doctor offered to rewrap the hand and use more appropriate supplies, but the vampire seemed to have shut them out, no longer hearing them, just staring at the man in the bed. They could not tell if he was seeing it or not.

He looked so broken, with the bandages and possible other wounds, but his identity made pity impossible for the hunters. The doctor however, easily gave in. "What's wrong?"

"You sound like you're speaking to a child, doctor." An eye flicked to the man, holding a considerable amount of awareness, then went back to Abraham.

The man blinked and looked the creature over. "How old are you?"

"What year is it?"

There was an awkward pause and finally someone answered. "1899."

Alucard muttered to himself, drawing his eyes away to his lap for a moment. "Hm." The vampire showed faint interest after a moment. "I'm 466, but I've been dead for 422 years."

The mortal minds reeled at the concept of a creature being that old and the gawking men took a few steps away from the vampire, stunned.

"Do not speak to me like I am a child. There is nothing wrong with me." Alucard looked directly at the doctor, completely conscious of what he was saying. His voice fell and his eyes lost some of their light as he looked at Abraham again. "I just realized something, that's all, human." His voice was quiet, making the men feel cold.

"What do you mean?" the doctor waited, intrigued by the being before him. He had always thought of vampires as animals, beasts, not as beings who resembled humans and could be said to exist as altered forms of humans. The vampire's age blew his mind.

"I did this."

All feelings, thoughts, and emotions were wiped from the men's minds and they stared at the vampire. They knew what had happened and it greatly dismayed and confused them, twisting resurfacing emotions into an unidentifiable conundrum. The vampire never had acknowledged that he was at fault for the human's state. Alucard's grip lessened on his arm and his eyes narrowed without emotion. "It's amazing."

Disgust erupted from the men as gasps of fury and growls while guns flashed in the low lighting, but the vampire continued speaking, reverting the human's to their previous state.

"I did this." Alucard's head tilted to the side as he observed the man before him. "Without ever meaning to."

The men could not speak. There was something horrifyingly human about the vampire at the moment. They watched as if they were witnessing the rising of Lazareth from his grave.

"I killed that woman…" eyes grew. "…the same way. Never intentionally seeking the outcome it concluded with... Human." Alucard said suddenly, catching the men off guard. "They're human minds could not handle what I perceived to be simple things, simple tricks and games of the mind. I gave the woman a nightmare, a memory she could not handle and she killed herself." The gasps and cries of the men were unregistered by the vampire. Only the doctor was silent, his heart racing. "I overestimated her capacity…I pushed her over the edge and, perhaps, literally broke her mind…without ever wanting to do this." Alucard blinked sharply, the minute detail capturing all of the mortals' attention. "I pushed him too far…" the whisper managed to spread throughout the room, aided by the dead silence.

"I gave him the dreams…to explain to him what had happened to his wife. I taunted him to get some revenge for everything he has done to me. I brought him down to my level and then, when he returned to his place…he simply did the only thing he could imagine would hurt me as much as I had hurt him. Then I easily overcame that, making it into nothing, blocking it out as I do to all pain…and I turned his revenge against him…making his attempts into double edged swords." Some of the men stiffened while the doctor was enthralled and terrified at the same time. "He did not know what to do, to make me lose as much as he had…so he took away the only material thing I cherished, something mortal in some sense. Something he could destroy forever. Something that could not be mended or retrieved. My coffin. My resting place. My tomb."

"I tried to get back at him, seeking out again what he most cherished, bringing back what should have been irretrievable. I was able to portray his loss again, reopening the recent wounds in his heart. On purpose, I did this. I wanted to make him vulnerable, estrange him from others who could no longer understand the reasons for his actions and behaviors…providing him with only a single comfort. I wanted him to cherish me like his family, to rip away the piece that would complete his heart, to drown him in agony once more, to end my revenge for my lost final resting place."

Alucard was silent for some time before he spoke again, his eyes not able to remain with Hellsing. "I thought he would recover, perhaps become more sensitive, like he was before…if I reopened the wound… I never thought he would not be able to handle it…to recover… I never thought it would numb him instead…take away his human weaknesses of sensitivity and compassion…just human emotion. I made him unfeeling…unable to determine what he really wanted, desired, or even felt. He chose me and hurt me because that is what I had offered him and convinced him that he wanted. Everything he did to me…" The lone red eye, dimmed, flickered with light as it slowly traced up towards Abraham. "…was my doing." He paused and the eye widened a little. "While I blamed him and cursed him all this time…calling him the demon, the monster…when he was simply broken." A sigh that did not alter the vampire's expression passed though his lips. "I was always the monster…always. And…I broke him. I did this to him…and it's simply so amazing because I never meant to. I did this by existing…by being what I am, a monster. His madness…I really did create it…and all along, even though I denied it, I was at fault for his wife's death, the catalyst of it all."

The men stood, awed and confused, being both completely lost and fully able to understand what had happened. A battle. A purposeless war without a victor, powered by mistaken passion, hate, and revenge. This human extent, they could sense…but the utter despair that vampire choked on in his shock, was beyond them.

"My Master…the only thing I have left…" the humans' expressions died and left the realm the vampire existed in, alone. "…I did this to him. I did this to myself." A smile demented the vampire's features, making the men even gasp and retreat. He smiled, showing his fangs as his eye remained the same void. A chuckle built, tumbling from the mouth as the features contorted and the vampire's lips trembled in a weakness that was not physical. Red broke away from his eye, marring his skin as it traveled over his white cheek. The origin of the tears gazed at Abraham. "I broke him…but I never wanted to…" The head bent forward and was hidden from sight in the creature's hands. Blood dripped onto his lap before running down his arm instead, a viscous stream that barely passed his wrist. Between his fingers, hidden from the humans, he could see the reminder Abraham had carved into his skin and he mouthed the words to himself as his shoulders shuddered at the weight of the irony. 'I AM NOTHING.' He laughed bitterly, casting droplets of blood to fall on the belts of his restraint suit. Because I have nothing…I've broken…

The lifeless room slowly emptied of heartbeats as even the doctor left the room, having lost all excitement and wonder he had seen in the immortal mind…having witnessed what really filled the creature. Despair, isolation…and simple forlorn loneliness.

Alucard had stumbled upon the revelation when he attempted to trace the origin of the man's change…finding only himself. He was the devil surrounded by the carcasses of casualties. So meaningless, without purpose…an accident…a miscalculation…that would have to be reversed. He would revert the equation. He would bring Abraham back. He would revive the man.

There was no choice or alternative in the vampire's mind. He would amend the broken heart…being the only one who could, perhaps, still reach the man.

The man did not break the beast. The beast broke the man and was left with nothing, so the beast lowered and tamed himself, eating away at his own freedom to gradually lift the man, to save him as he fell deeper into Hell. A poem flashed through Alucard's subconscious.

_The bird of Hermes is my name_

_Eating my wings to make me tame_

The vampire swallowed the feathers, the tears ceasing, his eyes dulling, his fangs resembling the more traditional ones of a normal vampire, he pulled the chair to the side of the bed and lowered his head onto his arms on the mattress…the redirection of consequences began with a recreated scene. A window had fallen, opening a path to freedom, but the bird did not take the chance, and, instead, sealed the cage itself.

* * *

Sorry if this seems random in any sense...see my profile for my excuse... -hint- no sleep for 40 or so hours...

I appologize for the past two chapters that have been very abusive towards Alucard and, perhaps, confusing - the cricket chirps that came with the last update...

Please tell me if something is wrong or what I need to change to make it easier to understand (or what needs explanation)

Thank you for reading my story ^^


	10. Chapter 10

Abraham's eyes revealed the icy blue gradually, and the man looked at the ceiling for several prolonged seconds without care. His eyes found the blur of movement as the doctor came to him, gently explaining the accident. Hellsing noticed that his neck was stiff from the constrictive brace and his hand glanced over it. He had strained his neck severely, but nothing was broken or permanently damaged. His head was bandaged and almost comically crowned with a bag of ice which he took off with distaste. The doctor finished and smiled at his old acquaintance while he went to the side of the room for a cup of water and some pain relieving medication he planned to have Hellsing take after he left. The quiet that began to fill this time was accompanied by a voice.

"Good evening, Master."

Blue eyes flashed, darting to the vampire as Hellsing's neck was held by the obstruction of the brace. A red eye peered over the crossed arms the vampire's chin rested in. Alucard watched the man's fury build and then manipulate a hand that ripped the creature's face from the mattress, holding him by his hair as the being did not resist.

"Who said you could come out of your cell, Slave?"

The doctor fumbled with the bottle, almost dropping it. Abraham had been kept unconscious with sedatives, prolonging his insensible state and allowing dusk to fall. This time had passed relatively isolated, yet peaceful.

"You were under a pane of glass. I took it off of you."

The doctor stood, mesmerized, forgetting what his current task was as Hellsing appeared to be unable to notice the vampire's patient expression. The man showed no signs of physical weakness, which should have overjoyed the doctor, but Hellsing's actions, words, tone, and insensitivity filled his heart with dread. Abraham shook the vampire but the red eyes did not blink, never flinching so as to never leave the irate man's features. "You come out of the cell only when I tell you to, hateful creature." He tossed the vampire away from himself and frowned when he realized Alucard was sitting in a chair. The scene seemed familiar but Hellsing waved away the nostalgia. "Go to the cell, Slave."

Alucard put his unbandaged hand on the bed, showing no signs of following the order. "You are injured, Master."

"Now!"

The command released the pain of the seal and the vampire gasped, his forehead diving into the blankets while his hands twisted the cloth until it creaked in protest. The doctor dropped the glass of water when he heard the muffled cries from the suffering creature who soon slumped from the edge of the bed, forcing himself to let go of the bedding before he fell from the chair and hit the floor. An unobstructed scream filled the room, inciting sound from outside the door as a few hunters came into the room, pistols drawn and ready for use. They started when they found the source of the haunting sound, and were paralyzed, unable to remove their eyes from the creature, unable to feel shame as they were so, inhumanly, engrossed in the pain the vampire was experiencing. Their very essences hungered for it and several thoughtless steps brought the men inches closer to Alucard. Word of the vampire's confession had spread, ruining the little amount of compassion that existed for the vampire wuthin the estate. Meanwhile, doctor was the one who took Abraham's shoulder and begged him to end whatever he was doing to the creature, knowing to some extent what an officious demand might incite in the unbalanced man.

The screams ended and Alucard coughed raggedly, Abraham's order to leave obscured by the sound.

"N…no." the vampire managed with difficulty. His body returned to the floor, assaulted by the seal once more.

"Please, Hellsing." The doctor looked anxiously from the creature to its Master. "He's worried about you. He wants to help…"

"I know these games of his, doctor." Abraham snapped back at the man, making him jolt. "My slave is a monster, you are only used to reading the intentions of a human."

The doctor opened his mouth to speak, but Abraham's eyes flared dangerously, stealing away the man's voice. Hellsing turned his glare to his slave and a cruel smile began at the corners of his lips, sending cold lances of fear into the hearts of the men. They shivered and left the room to give their leader privacy, and in order to avoid having to witness such a ruthless expression on the man they had once cherished and admired. The doctor was paralyzed with confusion, fear, and helplessness as blood began to stream from the agonized vampire's eye, smearing on the floor as the seal contorted his body with the electric pulses of maddening pain that seared through his nerves.

"He usually passes out at this level." Abraham muttered without displeasure in his voice. The doctor recoiled, horrified by the man's change. He was nearly demonic…

"Master!"

The doctor's wide eyes went from Abraham to the creature who had gasped out the title in a breathless shriek. Abraham was utterly taken aback by his slave's ability to speak at all.

"S..top!"

"Just do what I said and it will end." Hard blue eyes captured the form of Alucard as he lay on his back, gasping for a breath he didn't need.

"St..op.…" the voice was a dying rasp that faded with the being's consciousness. "Ma..s..t…"

The body went limp and silence descended on the room, weighting the two mortal hearts that leapt in their owner's chests for a moment of tainted thrill or shock.

"Hellsing." The doctor whispered timidly, frightened by the gleam in the man's eyes and the ill humor in his smile. "What was that?"

"It is how I control my pet." Abraham's grin twisted further and the doctor soundlessly retreated. "Pure, undiluted pain is injected into his nerves. The agony must be unimaginable."

"He wasn't doing anything…!"

Abraham silenced the rising will with a sharp look that cooled gradually. "Precisely. I ordered him to leave and he did nothing except defy me." Abraham glanced at the creature, propping himself up once more to do so, and then eased himself back into a more comfortable position. "The wellbeing of my men depends on his obedience."

The reason was comforting, but the enjoyment the man had clearly experienced nullified the words. "His pain…" the doctor murmured as he bent to pick up the larger shards of glass that had scuffed the wood. "…it pleases you to see him hurting?"

Abraham scoffed at the obvious answer. "Of course! That is the use I desire to draw from my slave." A laugh shook the doctor's faith in humanity and Abraham continued. "I want that damned creature to suffer, Lawrence. If you knew what he's done to me." His chuckle carried the momentum of his words. The doctor blinked at his name, straightening to set the collected shards to the side on a counter. He brushed his hands off gingerly, to avoid forcing any remaining slivers into his hands. Much of the ruined glass remained on the floor, but another better suited for the task would have to finish it. He was present now, so he sought to begin the mission for the one it would befall.

"He gave your wife nightmares and broke her spirit…and then the woman killed herself."

Abraham's neck fought the brace, managing to displace it slightly, and he stared at the doctor numbly, not attempting to hide his gape. A minute ticked by, adding weight to the hour that would force it to fall away and give rise to the next. A clock chimed in the halls of the mansion and Abraham spoke lowly. "What did you say, Lawrence?"

"He was the reason your wife committed suicide, and then… he also gave you the very same dream, didn't he?" Lenses reflected nothing as the man watched the other who occupied the bed. Lawrence W. Stuart observed Abraham's narrow glare alter in size to form wide surprise and then dull vacancy. "So it's true?"

"How do you know this?" the sharp tongue jostled the doctor's determination, but failed to displace it. "How? No one knows!"

"Alucard told me."

Death is not silence as it holds a final shuddering gasp or wail from loved ones, or even the laugh of the devil. The silence that followed was of emptiness that was consuming both men, swallowing them to enter a dimension outside time and immediate reality. Seconds were hours to them, drawing on their strength. Lawrence stood resolute in the face of his old friend as a demon soon possessed the man to scowl at the doctor.

"My Slave, what lies has he been trying to weave from his monstrosities? And how have you come to involve yourself with him?" Abraham's malicious tone that sparked through the whispers, would have continued if the doctor had not spoken.

"Your vampire told the whole tale of a war between a man and a monster, as the monster broke and distorted the man into something revolting and tainted. He didn't speak in detail or to anyone in particular as three men, not including myself, were also present." Abraham's expression was of open outrage that held no fire behind it, and he was silent while he listened. "You would try to hurt him and he would hurt you in return. You attacked one another's minds and proved one to be stronger than the other, while one was proven with nothing more to lose as the other had more and even basic freedom the other did not possess."

"I may not be alive…" the voice ripped into the dimension and drew the men into the present time. They gasped as they stared down at the vampire's open eye while it lay on the floor as if positioned for burial. A hand folded over an unbeating heart shifted. "…but I exist, and as long as you have an existence you will have something to lose." A moment was drawn out to the seams of its definition before Alucard sat up and looked at the doctor whose name had, once again, faded from the room. "That will be all, Doctor."

The doctor dithered before walking towards the door. His eyes found the glass he had cleared from the floor, and he cringed as he realized that whoever came to clean it would have two messes now instead of one. He had meddled where he shouldn't have, and the doctor's chin touched his chest before he lifted it and opened the door. The latch clicked as it shut.

Alucard remained on the floor, his aching limbs restraining him. A red eye flicked to Abraham when the quiet was noticed. "Careless ponders I spoke aloud, Master." The blue refused to warm from their frozen glower. "The doctor and the others are still ignorant. He was only attempting to read into what I had said." He sighed and fought his pain to grasp the arm of the abandoned chair to hoist himself to his feet so he could sit in it. Alucard exhaled once he had achieved the maneuver, and his attention went back to his Master. "You should rest…"

"Why did you speak to them about it?"

The bitterness in the question was noted by a twitch in the vampire's features, as the two stared at one another. "I spoke to no one but myself…with intent."

"What did you say?"

The red gaze persisted for a while before it collapsed and hit the floor. Alucard counted the wooden planks as he considered his response. His arm unconsciously positioned itself on the side of the chair while the other remained in his lap. "I have wronged you…in calling you a monster, Master. You are fully human and act the way you do because of your nature."

"That is not all you said." The unfeeling voice stated, and Alucard frowned at the floor.

"I told a breath of our conflict, and stated that it is not you who is the monster, but it is, and has always been, me and myself only. All of what has happened has been my own doing, and all that you have committed in response, is of my own guilt. Your state, as well as mine, can be blamed on no one…but me. And…I had not once felt desire for any results that have been drawn from our battles." Alucard looked at Abraham's unreadable features, deadened by them as his gaze did not fall. "That is what I said…in different, more general terms, Master."

Heat and life returned to Hellsing and he gave a malicious sneer and scoffed. "Of course that has always been the case, Slave. You are the monster, the one in the wrong, as you will forever be." Abraham saw the glare that his vampire's features formed at his words, and a smile crept into his own. "A monster, a demon, my Slave…you are nothing." He chuckled when he recalled the words he had carved into Alucard's arm and his eyes sought the dark straps that covered the wounds. "Say it, Slave." His eyes shown and his chuckle rose with the pitch of his tone. "Say it!"

"I exist and for the time that I continue to, I will always possess something which may be lost or broken." Abraham's face contorted into disdain, and he recoiled from Alucard's calm expression and the gaze that pierced into the soul his blue eyes revealed. "And so it is the same for you, Master. With your life and future before you, you have everything to lose…"

"What do you have?" spat the man and his fists curled into the blankets by his sides. He barked the question again. "What do you have, Slave? I will ultimately take it from you!"

"If you kill me, then I shall have my Hell." Abraham quieted with a jerk and watched Alucard with glowing eyes. "Only God can take away my existence, Master. Only God, who has given us everything, may take it away."

"No." Abraham protested without passion, the two minds held a bridge between them with their gazes. "Man has the power to take things away, as does a monster." The last word he threw with hatred at the vampire, but Alucard brushed it aside. "You took my wife…and any form of happiness I had."

"But I did not take everything…or your future… your hope to reclaim something of what has been…"

"She's dead!" Hellsing snarled, snatching the additional pillow that was holding him up. He threw it at the creature and Alucard let it collide with his face, and there he caught it, hiding his expression from the man for the time it took Abraham to level his gasping rage. But time progressed and this did not happen, so Alucard dropped the pillow to his lap. "She's dead and nothing will, or can, bring her back!" Hellsing cursed after the outburst.

"That is true, Master." The vampire replied quietly and handled the pillow, running bandages over the cover to hear the cloth speak. "Your wife is dead, but is she gone? As most have come into practice of saying? Death is not the end. She is still here…just outside our sight. She is in Heaven or the next, otherworldly domain that exists for her kind."

"Silence, Slave." The command hung in the air, held up by the man's aura of resentment and loathing. "You are not my equal, and do not speak as if you are. Know your place!" Hellsing hissed while Alucard did not go against the command. The mattress creaked as the vampire put his weight on it, and he leaned over the bed slowly, until he was clear of the chair and his knees were next to the bed frame, on the floor. A head of black hair rested on Abraham's shoulder as the vampire's hands touched the sheets by the man. Abraham was muted by shock and stared at his Slave.

"I am in my place."

Alucard remained like this, feeling warmth radiate from the living man as well as the chilling vulnerability of his position, giving himself to Abraham's whims and mercy. His hands twitched and clutched the sheets when he felt the shift of pressure on the bed as Abraham brought up his arm. A large hand tore into Alucard's hair, but did not pull him away immediately.

"You…are a demon." Hellsing breathed with enmity while blue eyes blazed. His grip twisted, ripping strands of hair from their roots. "A monster! I don't care for your words, the poison you spew! Leave me!" Abraham tried to detach Alucard, but the vampire stayed as he was, ignoring the pull and the order. The attempts became more vicious, but the vampire was undaunted. Long strands of midnight came into Abraham's hand and Alucard was still on his shoulder. The man touched the seal and then plunged into it with a roar. "LEAVE!"

A shriek of pain came from the creature's throat and Alucard's forehead pressed into his Master, while his hands tightened on the cloth he could no longer feel. Then the warmth he felt began to disappear with the fog of the seal's affect. He could sense, see, and think of nothing as agony took a hold of his mind, but he fought to stay on the man's shoulder, though he no longer knew where that was. Cries escaped him outside his knowledge.

Abraham watched the torture continue while Alucard began to lose his strength. The face left Abraham's shoulder and went into the mattress when the vampire started to slide farther from him as its knees gave in. Alucard's fingers weakly dug into the sheets to remain, but they failed to catch in the folds of cloth. He reached the edge of the mattress and stopped, remaining there simply from how his body was situated. Abraham was emotionless when he let go of the seal, feeling the vampire's mind begin to slip away and then steadily carry on. Alucard's eye opened and he shivered as the pain receded. Disoriented, he watched the sheets and then struggled to look up at his Master, but couldn't. His hands pressed into the bed, trying to return him to his position, but after a few inches he could advance no further. As Alucard's mind dimmed and consciousness left him, he pushed his hand forward and touched Abraham's sleeve. Pale fingers caught the fabric and tightened until the hand suddenly relaxed. Alucard's grip remained weakly and Abraham stared at the silent figure. A whisper of a chill drifted into his flesh from the close contact, but Hellsing did not move the vampire away. Blue eyes traveled to Alucard's face, but all they found was the eye patch, obscured by black hair that stood as a broken curtain. The other half of Alucard's face was in the mattress.

Abraham stirred his fingers to loosen the strands that were caught in them, and black sifted onto the bed beside the man. He watched the collection along with his slave while his hand moved to the forgotten pain that began in his neck. He eased the building throb by looking up at the ceiling. Minutes ticked by and Hellsing closed his eyes with an inaudible sigh.


	11. Chapter 11

The doctor opened the door timidly, and peered around the room with the aid of the dim lighting, as he entered. He managed to shut the door before the sight of the vampire momentarily froze his limbs. The creature was on the side of the bed, an outstretched arm touching the cloth of Hellsing's sleeve, while the man himself appeared to be sleeping until two blue eyes gazed back at the doctor, startling his fragile nerves. Nothing was said, and the doctor went about, completing his job with a ducked head. The doctor shivered once or twice with the weight of Abraham's eyes, which never left him. He gave the instructions for how much and how often Hellsing should take the medication and what activities he should avoid for some time, and then the doctor left. After the time he had spent in the room, the doctor was sure that Alucard had not been sleeping, the concept greatly unsettling his mind.

The night continued to progress and Hellsing left his slave as he was and watched the ceiling, feeling a veil of calm descend upon his person. The veil was disturbed and it slipped away when a figure stood in the doorway, after opening it with a nervous knock. Abraham stared at the woman, unnerving her further, and dark eyes dropped to the floor as Mrs. Blackwell spoke. "Sir." Moments passed before she tightened her jaw and looked up, pausing at the sight of the vampire. She frowned, remembering her objective. "Sir Hellsing, how is your health?" Her leg muscles jumped as she almost walked into the room, but she stopped when Abraham responded.

"Fine, Mrs. Blackwell. What is it you want?"

"Well…." The woman hesitated and then scowled at her nervousness before erasing the expression. Her eyes went back to the blue and her mouth opened. She described what had occurred after the glass pane had fallen on Abraham, telling the man of how the vampire appeared and threatened the staff into following his orders, and then of how Alucard had sent her flying into the wall where she had been knocked unconscious for several minutes. By the end of her story, Abraham wasn't looking at her. His eyes were directed at the bed, seeing nothing. Then they moved to the vampire, and there they remained.

"Thank you. You may leave now… I will see to his punishment."

Content and ignorant, the woman nodded respectfully and retreated from the room, closing the door gently.

* * *

"Master."

The darkness of the cell swallowed the title as Hellsing looked over the familiar instruments. Red eyes narrowed in disappointment and frustration, watching the man's face that was only visible for the vampire's superior sight, as it existed in the shadow of the light from the open lantern.

"Why do you want to do this?"

"That does not matter… Slave." Abraham's eyes lingered on a blade, but they left it and turned to the vampire that was sitting, obediently, against the stones of the wall. "I may do as I wish with you." His hands unbuttoned the straps that covered Alucard's chest, and they continued to his abdomen, silent except for the dull sound of the unbuttoning of the straps themselves.

Red eyes traced the progress emptily. "But why do you wish to do this? What drives you?"

"Silence."

And there was silence at the command as Abraham pulled away and returned to his instruments. Alucard broke it within seconds. "Is it what I've said before? You want to take everything I possess because of what you, yourself, have lost? You want to show control. Control of which you alone possess…like God, over another…"

"I told you..." The knife entered Alucard's flesh, slipping easily into his stomach. "…to be quiet."

The vampire watched the dissection and his eyes dulled. Disgust threatened to enter his mind, but he warped the feeling into self loathing. "What are you taking tonight?" He whispered without real interest, giving the illusion of an ongoing conversation.

"I don't know yet."

The blade cut an uneven line when a short spasm of humor moved its subject. Alucard finished his grim chuckle while Abraham glared in annoyance.

"Don't laugh."

The vampire smiled at the glare, closing his eyes and reclining his head against the wall. "Of course, Master. Forgive me."

Hellsing's hand paused at the last statement, then carried on as before, but Abraham's face was cold and unfeeling. There was no satisfaction in his features until Alucard jerked and coughed a glob of blood into his hand when Hellsing thrust the scalpel under his ribcage. Abraham ignored the icy blood and gore his hand and wrist were submerged in, and he smiled when he was able to make the creature shudder by moving the blade again, creating a running, soup out of the vampire's organs. The blade withdrew, dripping with gore that squelched on the floor. The shadow that was cast from Alucard's figure wavered as he shivered with half-mast eyes watching his master's hand as it lowered.

"I know what I'll take." Abraham chuckled and his eyes flashed with the scalpel as it dove into Alucard's body, releasing a spurt of blood to join the cascading torrents that were pooling onto the floor, along with clumps of tissue. The red touched and then clung to the cracks separating each stone, branching and reaching over the expanse of the cell. The rivers flowed in the midst of silence.

* * *

Alucard eyed the wine bottle in the woman's hand with morbid amusement and he shook his head as Blackwell moved to toss it to him. "This is my Master's joke." He chuckled to himself, leaning against the wall, unmoved from the night before.

Madelyn blinked and then slowly lowered the bottle to her side. She recovered and glared at the creature. "What?" she spat the question with all her abhorrence for the demon. "What are you talking about?" Her brow creased further when Alucard chuckled to himself without looking at her. Dark eyes twitched and then eased with smug approval. "Is this your punishment?" Red eyes went to her. "For how you intimidated the staff and threw me into the wall?"

"Oh, so you asked him to punish me?"

Blackwell scoffed. "I just informed him of what transpired. He decided to punish you." The liquid in the bottle swished in the background.

Slowly, Alucard's eyes became a glare. "Don't encourage his behavior."

The woman paused with the sound of the liquid. She spoke as another swish resumed behind her heated words. "I'm not encouraging his behavior." Madelyn snarled defensively. "I encourage his punishing you. You deserve it. Everything…" her voice trailed off with a brief revelation. She laughed disagreeably, almost making Alucard hiss. "I heard about your…confession." She laughed again and stepped forward without thinking, coming closer to Alucard. "You know. You know what you've done. You know you deserve Hell itself. Everyone in the estate agrees that you should die."

"I suppose it's hate." The vampire spoke quietly to himself, and he shifted his position as his eyes drifted to the ceiling.

"What?" the woman stammered, halting her step.

"Madness is sparked from hate." Blackwell just stared at the creature without understanding. "That's how it began for me, for him, and perhaps now, for you."

"I'm not mad!" Blackwell screeched in fury. "How dare you…!"

"So you think…" the red eyes burned into the woman, stealing her breath. "…that it is normal…how you were just acting. Cackling like the hellish flames of insanity…speaking of death and damnation for another with such confidence…fueled by hate…"

"You! It's….you deserve it!" the words were given meaning with her tone and the human's expression of horror and hostility.

"Undoubtedly." Alucard frowned as he remembered the blood. "Leave the bottle here. I may try to drink it later."

Mrs. Blackwell calmed with the new question. "I thought you weren't allowed to."

"No, not specifically." A smile snaked across Alucard's face and his fangs glinted in the light from the door. "I don't know if I will be able to drink it or not…without a stomach."

The gasp rebounded off the stones to be beset by a voice. "What did you…?" Wide eyes traveled over the vampire, noticing his lighter hair and unrefined posture. "He…actually…"

"Is that the punishment you so desired?" The grin pushed the woman back and she gazed at the vampire with fleeting fear while he laughed, soon resorting to coughing up a handful of blood. He watched it drip onto the stone floor, holding his hand before himself with a contorted expression of hilarity. Crimson broke away from the blood and narrowed gleefully at the woman's starch face. "Is it? Pray…tell me what kind of sensation of pleasure runs through your veins." The words overwhelmed the mortal and Blackwell heaved the bottle at Alucard's head, causing a mist of blood and glass to shower over the creature and spray the wall.

"You're disgusting." She breathed, wide eyes watching blood seep from the grey hair to coat the smirking expression that the vampire wore. "Disgusting." She repeated while her hands formed shaking fists be her sides.

"Thank you." Blackwell flinched at the mocking tone and Alucard's mouth stretched as his eye widened inhumanly. "You may leave now, woman. Your task has been fulfilled."

Madelyn Blackwell gasped and retreated as the blood twitched and moved into the vampire on its own.

"I can absorb it this way without having to hinder my missing organ."

The woman stumbled and gripped the frame of the door to right herself when she dashed out of the cell, without looking back at the monster behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

_"I sometimes think we must all be mad and that we shall wake to sanity in strait-waistcoats." (Bram Stoker)_

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

Mrs. Blackwell sighed and threw the bottle to the vampire with practiced finesse. "Hurry. I'm busy today." She added impatiently, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she crossed her arms for emphasis.

The nosferatu didn't comment as he uncorked the bottle and brought the lip to his mouth. Blackwell was looking around the cell, but the woman growled dangerously when she realized how long Alucard was taking. "I told you…" the irritated glare faded from her features when she saw the vampire's blank expression. A red eye stared at the bottle. The woman flinched and recoiled when the creature let out a loud laugh, followed by a cough that brought speckles of blood to his lips.

"My Master will be having a _very_ unpleasant surprise soon." He chuckled knowingly and took a sip from the bottle with his eye closed. The vampire gave a crooked smile and looked at Blackwell, savoring her confusion. Alucard snickered again and lifted the bottle, swishing it around as he relaxed against the wall. "This…" he smiled pleasantly, his lips continuing to curl upward as he spoke. "…is a very good bottle of wine."

Blackwell blinked and there was a long pause before her mouth dropped open and she gasped in horror. "Y…You..you're lying!" she stammered out as dread filled her eyes. "You drank it!" the woman pointed accusingly, frowning as she reclaimed her composure. "Lying!"

A cloaking presence suddenly surrounded the woman and her mortal instinct made her try to flee, but an arm eased around her neck and her face was jerked upwards as Alucard materialized behind her. The bottle was forced into her mouth and she choked on the liquid, shaking with dismay until her mind recognized the taste. She coughed and wiped her mouth as the shadows disappeared instantly, turning to see that the vampire was sitting against the wall smugly. "YOU PUT YOU'RE MOUTH ON THAT! YOU DISGUSTING PIG!" The vampire cocked a brow in interest.

"What are you? A little girl?" he scoffed and took a swig of the wine, making the woman start as she came back to reality.

"Tha…that's Sir Hellsing's!" she faltered, but could not bring herself to move closer to the monster, some odd fascination and fear holding her back. Alucard shrugged, taking a small sip.

"He'll be a little angry, but I don't think I'll be permitted to drink something other than that…rancid stuff he usually gives me…for a long time to come." He scowled and drank another small sip of the wine, only enough to have the liquid run over his tongue and arouse a slight burning sensation in the back of his throat.

"Rancid?" Madelyn's eyes were locked on Alucard's face. "You like this better than blood?"

"No." the vampire replied immediately, then he smiled darkly. "The meager amount of blood you usually bring me is the equivalence of someone handing you a slice of hard, stale…molding….bread to satiate you for a week. The blood is not well preserved and it's cold, so it's harder for my body to digest. Vampires also feed off of body heat in general, so it lacks that form of…" he smiled cruelly for a moment. "…you can call it a form of nutrition."

The woman was thoroughly disgusted and her mouth was crinkled as a result of this. The vampire sighed regretfully and set the bottle to the side, standing up slowly as his ruined body protested against movement.

"It would be so much more pleasant if it wasn't dissolving my internal organs at the moment." He snatched up the bottle with mocking melancholy while the human started and backed away. Blackwell was unused to Alucard moving from his spot beside the wall, and any change from this practice was unwelcome.

"What are you doing?" she demanded hotly, deciding to halt her retreat. The vampire's eye flashed over his fanged grin as he approached the wall.

"I'm going to return the wine in exchange for my usual bottle."

The woman stood dumb in the gloom of the cell, white and cold, while the vampire dissolved into the stone before she could regain her senses. "Oh…Mother of Heaven." She whispered airily and shuddered with wide eyes. "The meeting has already started…"

Abraham was glaring at the documents in his hands as the other members of the Council of Twelve spoke and debated about future plans and the constant issue of rampaging vampires. A manservant discreetly held a green tinted wine bottle by the wall, and now he approached his master in silence. The man began to draw the bottle away from himself, shifting the cloth that was draped around it as he readied to pour the contents into a glass. A loud gasp and exclamation startled the men and they looked to the servant, with the exception of Sir Hellsing. Chairs screeched and there were weak and angered voices in the room, the sounds accompanied by the clink of glass on glass as the neck of a bottle came in contact with the wine glass and the contents were poured.

"I believe someone switched our bottles, Master."

Abraham blinked, realizing the dead silence that only contained the flow of liquid. His eyes surveyed the paralyzed men and then traced to his glass, noting the pale hand and the strap constructed sleeve. He turned around without a word and stared at Alucard as the monster finished pouring the wine and smiled at him.

"All I can say is that you have very good taste in wine." Blue eyes blinked while seconds of quiet went by as Alucard set the bottle on the table and turned to take the one that was trembling in the servant's hands. He gave another smile, this time to the terror stricken features of the servant. "This one is mine."

"You drank some of my wine?" Hellsing scowled, but remained seated. "Don't lie and tell me that you simply didn't notice until…"

"No, I noticed, so I'm at fault." The vampire admitted emotionlessly, moving so that his Master could view him more comfortably. Red eyes scanned the table as two men sat, watching Alucard with disapproval, but not fear. Pale lips twitched at the corners, satisfied that there were at least two legitimate members that were worthy of their positions. He frowned at the remaining men before returning his gaze to his Master. "Quite a gathering, Master. All of these men knew exactly what I was based on their first glances…however, it appears that a few doubt your strength as my Master and fear my presence. Why welcome fools like these into your home?"

Abraham smirked at the words, causing the standing men to grumble indignantly. He added to the insult by chuckling. "Return to the cell. You're a distraction."

The men in the room were astonished by Abraham's behavior. He had rarely existed as anything other than a fearful, inhumane idol until this point in their minds. But now he displayed a slight sense of humor and was conversing about something outside work for the first time in what felt like centuries.

So, Abraham van Hellsing really was human…somewhere in his worn heart. The unanimous thought sang silently in the room as the meeting resumed.

*~~*:*.*:~~*

"So you took some of my wine?" Abraham was crouched before Alucard's form which was slouched against the wall. A burning orb held the evasive light that persisted despite the totality of the darkness in the cell, standing as a candle before a match was struck, lighting a wick that soon illuminated the undead and the living visages. There was an absence of humor in Hellsing's tone, but Alucard hid his response from his features, remaining completely immobile.

"Answer!"

The unpredictable fluctuating temper burst into the cell, making the light of the still flames sharper. The beast shifted his position, now looking at the bundle Hellsing was unrolling to reveal the familiar set of instruments.

"Yes, Master." Alucard paused, watching the mortal's hands. "Has this angered you?" Red moved to Abraham's unreadable face, retaining its sharp light. The eye sparked when the man chuckled, touching the handles of the silver blades with a sinister smile. A sudden flash managed to widen the vampire's eye, and Alucard looked down to his caved abdomen to see a sad trickling line of blood flow from the outline of a scalpel that was buried in his flesh.

"You don't take what is mine, Slave. Never again…" He smiled demonically, losing more of his human form as the red candlelight obscured his features with shadows. Red and black clotted blood painted his hand as the man opened the creature, humming contently when he saw the damage his order had prevented Alucard from healing. There was little else to take…since most of the being's body was in a devastated state. Abraham frowned and looked up at the vampire's face.

Alucard met his master's gaze, holding it until the blue eyes widened and a blade sliced across the vampire's features, digging into cartilage, tissue, and bone.

*~~*:*.*:*~~*

When Blackwell opened the door of the cell and allowed the streaming light from the immediate corridor to reach God's forsaken creature, she almost dropped the bottle of blood, her gasp replacing what would have been the sound of shattering glass. Dark eyes stared at the creature while a red eye filled with humor as the beast chuckled.

"Is it that bad?" he gave in to mad laughter, spitting up blood as he refused to stop. The laughter was deep, uncontrolled, and sent a chill into the marrow of one's bones…because there was real humor and glee within it. A deep, jagged arch ran across the creature's features, cutting over the bridge of his nose and digging through his cheeks so that the detached skin folded down, revealing his fangs within two small slits. His mouth was torn back, showing the fangs lining the right side of his face. Alucard swallowed his laughter with the blood that was pooling in the back of his throat, and he coughed. "I was mistaken. He was quite angry that I had taken his wine." The beast shrugged with a grin and held out a hand for the bottle, strands of long white hair spilling in front of his face. "Hand it to me, I'm a bit uncoordinated at the moment."

The woman didn't hear the request, horrified by the sight of the demon. She quickly set the bottle on the ground and fled with trembling lips. She was shivering by the time she slammed the door behind her. Blackwell ran through the dungeon, but her fear muddled her mind and she lost her way. Finally, she almost collided with one of the caretakers who were inspecting the empty cells. The man was startled by her uncharacteristic fear, and he gasped when she ran to him and clung to his arm, panting heavily as her lungs seemed to release more air than they took in.

"Wh..What did the demon do to you?" He grabbed her shoulders but she only shook her head and swallowed, unable to speak. "Mrs. Blackwell? Did he hurt you? What…"

"No…he's…he's…" She broke down and fell to her knees with her hands covering her face. She recounted the gruesome state the vampire had been reduced to. The haunting wounds…and…who was carving them into the monster's flesh. "I can't look at it….I can't be in the same room with that thing…with that face…I just…can't. And…" she shuddered and looked at the wall as the caretaker had knelt in front of her and was holding her hand in an attempt to calm her. His hands were unsteady and clammy now. "And…I'm concerned about Sir Hellsing. Even if he hates the demon…this…this is unhealthy…"

The man nodded slowly, pale and drawn, and he helped the woman stand. Neither of them voiced the decision to confront Abraham, but they were soon standing before the door to his office. The old caretaker knocked on the door and was given permission to enter by a voice within the room.

*~*::.+.::*~*

"Here."

Alucard stared up at his master blankly, unable to register what had been said as the man held out a cup filled with blood. Fresh. Warm. **Hellsing**. Blood.

The monster blinked and opened his mouth to speak but found that he could only whisper. "Why are you giving me your blood, Master? The woman brought some to me earlier…" He blinked again, still in shock, and then jolted when the cup was shoved into his face but then gently touched his lips as the man sneered.

"You're face scares Mrs. Blackwell…and I have decided that you should heal yourself. You're an embarrassing wreck at the moment…" Something sparked and then darkened, like a flame before it is extinguished by the wind, changing the cobalt in the man's eyes to a dark navy blue. "And I don't need a broken… mutilated slave… You lose your appeal as you are now."

Alucard didn't like the tone or the words his master had growled at him, but the aroma of the blood wafting into his face was intoxicating. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth as he felt his master tip the cup to make the creature drink. The demon gulped down the blood, despite his desire to appreciate the contents slowly, and his body healed itself, the blood flowing through his dusted veins to fill in and reconstruct the missing pieces of his body. A sigh escaped Alucard as the cup was taken from his lips, but he didn't open his eyes and could not see the odd expression on his master's face or the crooked smile that was being given to him. When he did open his eyes, it was when he heard the metal door to his cell close, leaving him alone in the darkness.

Three nights passed and Abraham stood in the cell, holding another cup of blood in his outstretched hand, trying to make the vampire, who was sitting against the wall, drink the liquid. "Drink it, now." The man hissed in aggravation, but the demon simply shook his head, never breaking eye contact. Alucard's hair was a color that was between dark grey and black and his body was fully repaired though it still lacked the vigor that should have been stored in his limbs.

"Master, you are not as young as you used to be..." he continued slowly, staring at the man's emptying features. "…you need your blood…you can't give this much to me on a daily basis…it will weaken you…"

"Drink!" The man thrust the cup towards the demon, almost spilling it. The monster stared at Hellsing and then shook his head. Abraham snarled in fury, but the emotion suddenly warped into sick delight and he cackled at the beast, making Alucard's eyes narrow as the cup was being moved farther from his direction.

Abraham took the cup to his own mouth and swallowed the blood.

Alucard's lips parted and his eyes became lifeless as he saw the man leer down at him and laugh. "So I need my blood? If you won't drink it, then I'll simply take it back, Slave!"

Abraham's eyes went wide as Alucard materialized before him, their faces only inches apart. A dead hand rose and then struck the cup out of Hellsing's hand so that it shattered into dust on the stones of the wall behind the demon. But as this occurred, Alucard's other arm snaked around his master's neck and a hand clasped the back of the blonde head, bringing it to the vampire's cold shoulder. Both of his hands came to the man and embraced him protectively, stroking the golden strands as Alucard buried his cheek into the hair. "I'm sorry." He shuddered and held the stunned mortal tighter. "I'm so sorry…please…" He took a breath and kissed the hair. "Please…never do that again…please…Master."

Abraham was calm and limp with dull, unfocused eyes that reflected the stones in the cell. Alucard continued petting him and whispering, begging him to forgive him and to never repeat his action. Hellsing blinked and leaned into the embrace, his eyes falling so that they were only partially open. He spoke quietly.

"People are scared of me."

Alucard inhaled sharply and his hands froze for a moment, but they soon pressed the man closer to himself. "Yes." An undead cheek rubbed against the blonde hair.

Abraham blinked again and his hands twitched, slowly moving around the monster's torso. "Would you like to come to an event with me…you have to bring a guest…and I wasn't planning on attending…"

"Yes." Alucard's hand moved to the top of Hellsing's head. "Yes, of course Master. I will follow you anywhere."

The moment lasted for a minute of silence and calm, but the vampire gasped when the mortal pushed him away and caught him by the throat with a manic grin and bright, flickering eyes. He drew the demon towards his face, widening the smile as the crimson eyes stared at him. "Are you afraid of me?"

Alucard paused to search the man's face. "I'm sorry to disappoint you… No. You do not frighten me."

"You lie." Abraham breathed and licked his lips, unaware of the remnants of blood that still marked them. "I see fear in your eyes, Slave." He shook Alucard violently and then stopped. "You are a liar!"

"The fear I have is not for what you might do to me…it is fear of what you might do to yourself, Master. I did not lie to you."

The light in the blue eyes escaped, and the hand around the demon's throat loosened and finally fell to the man's side. He stared at the vampire as it gazed back at him in silence. "You will accompany me, then…"

Alucard nodded in response and the man turned to leave the cell, shutting the door as quietly as his nature allowed.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

(I wrote this back in August or July…inconsistency in character = Alucard is still adapting to being more subservient…this was when I was coming up with the design for my page breaks…sorry for the wait. I misplaced the chapter. ^_^')


	13. Chapter 13

He felt possessive, if not protective of the man who had tortured him, torn at the vampire's mind with the sharp talons of his insanity. He hated Abraham Van Hellsing, in the core of his 'soul', but reason left him no chance to grasp this hatred and use it against the man, to stab into his apparent scar, the remnants of Alucard's twisting and warping of the mortal. Feeding the man his presence, making him feel that he wanted it, that he wanted the vampire in ways that Alucard knew Abraham did not actually desire him. But when Abraham drank his own blood, disgust, and even fear, was brought forth. It was the tangible portrayal of what the demon had once anticipated…the man literally eating himself away through his actions. When Alucard witnessed it, he found that he had no taste for such a scene. It was a reflection of his own life, his own madness that still lingered as a smoky haze, blanketing his reason, corrupting his humor, his choices, but he was in love with his madness, as much as he hated it. He was in love with Humanity as much as he despised it. But love is different for a monster. It is not the love a human has for another human being or any living creature. It is a hellish love, more of a feeling of dark satisfaction. If he was unsatisfied with a human's character, he hated them and killed them. He could not love something he was unable to find satisfying worth in. Worthless dogs should die. The weak deserved to die. Abraham was weakened now, but he was not worthless. He was a satisfying object that the demon had regretfully broken.

But Alucard still experienced guilt over the unfortunate development. He knew of pain, he felt his own pain from damaging something he had admired; something in an almost perfect form had been shattered and thrown into the deepest filth imaginable. So he had held the man like a child. A child is weak, but it is not their fault. They are simply incomplete. They cannot help it, so they are spared.

Alucard's eyes were closed, sitting and feeling each rising or sloping ridge that gave the icy stones of his chamber of Purgatory its familiar texture. His body was content while his mind was ever restless. Kill the man; don't kill the man, thoughts fluttered in the dead being, fighting for his will. The man is vulnerable, but you have eaten your wings, but you still have your talons, but that will only leave you to die, trapped in this cage. The seal does not die with Abraham. You do not want the man to die yet. He is not perfect…piece him together and watch him fight and bleed and perspire with effort. Make him battle! Make him rise and conquer over Hell itself! Make him the ideal human being! And then watch him die, a mortal, a perfect, godly mortal. And perhaps die with his sword through the deepest regions of your useless heart. That is satisfying. That is how it should happen.

But you are a slave.

Red eyes seemed to burst into the lightless cell with its consistency of black and grey. The red was forever separate from the cell. It could not contain the fire.

The vampire picked up an approaching sound. The steps were hard; the heels of the shoes were broad and flat. Boots. Unless Madelyn Blackwell had changed her wardrobe, Alucard expected to see his master step through the steel plated door. It always made such a lovely piercing shriek of a sound when it opened too quickly. He liked the man's red trench coat. That's why he had begun to wear one like it himself. Now he only had the black leather suit with the few dangling straps to amuse himself with when he got too bored to control his impulses. Batting them from side to side was not excessively amusing, but it was still something to do when he could not sleep and while his mind was too tired to think.

He had been ignored, but fed, for four days. The loose straps were new to Abraham and he stared at them, distracted for a moment. Alucard gradually began to snap them back into place, watching the blank features. They never even twitched, and the eyes never moved. The stare was too steady, intent and locked obsessively onto the straps as if he were searching for a message within their state. Alucard quickly snapped the last few straps together, ending with one on his collar bone. None of his skin had been exposed, but Alucard did not want to lose the progress the man had made so far.

"I decided to play with them and forgot to put them back the way you had them, Master."

Finally, just as the voice had desired, the stare broke and Abraham saw the flare of the uncontained crimson gaze. Abraham blinked, his demeanor quiet. "You play with the suit?"

"It's a new hobby."

Blue blinked again, unable to find a way to react to the information. Alucard noticed and his eyes followed the gaze that slowly floated away from his face, over the uneven stones. A chill crept up the man's arms, roughening them with goose bumps. It was getting colder at night as the darkness grew longer, and the light of day, shorter.

"Master." The quiet voice emerged to bring the ebb of conversation back to the stone chamber, taking the man's eyes to the demon. They held the exchange of flickering irises, stolid features, and cold black pupils. "Why are you here? I don't mean to hurry you, but you seem to be…wandering."

Hellsing kept quiet, staring at the fires with lowering eyelids. He seemed to be calming, somehow coming to terms with being in the cell without his usual instruments, without the means that would allow him to 'take' from the hated creature that sat on the neglected floor, cracks running deep with veins full of grime and perhaps dried blood. For no one ever cleaned this cell, and rarely touched the others that were empty. Abraham suddenly realized he liked the labyrinth beneath his mansion. He liked to become lost in it and find his way out again. The thought tilted his lips to make them rise at one corner. Play lost and found with the creature. Why? Just do it. How? The labyrinth? No. What did we come here for? Event, the social event, to get ready…yes. The event was to be held…

"I'm not wandering. I'm here to inform you that if you do decide to accompany me to…the event I mentioned. You would need to wear appropriate attire. A suit, a proper suit that is, or an evening gown."

The beast watched the smile and felt his own form for a moment. "I think I'll stick with male attire, Master. Not that I really avoid making a show of myself in such events. Might I wear something similar to your own trench coat? I was recalling my own clothes just some minutes ago, before…"

"No. You'll wear something black." The unsmiling lips cut in abruptly, demanding to have his whim humored. Make the beast wear a dress. Why not? It would make a scene. Scenes are bothersome. But who cares a damn what the Victorian class thinks of you? They already hate you, despise you, fear and cringe when you look at them. You hate them all. Untrustworthy, conniving little wenches hounding wealthy widowers…but we showed them. That was fun. The smile returned and parted to show the man's teeth. Alucard's own lips lay flat across his face. His fangs grazed one another when they unclenched and allowed him to speak to the bright and sparking eyes.

"A black suit…with an overcoat? A long trench coat? A waistcoat? What do you prefer?"

I prefer the leather suit. "The trench coat, buttoned…with a thin waist line…I don't really care what else." The man sighed out, the light and smile gone. He seemed tired or aggravated now. The red eyes irritated him. They were staring and calculative. He was scheming again, that beastly creature with his limited, selfish child mind. Hateful, hateful.

The man was glowering at the vampire. Alucard closed his eyes and his head went forward, spilling his hair over his shoulders. "Yes, Master."

"Why are you doing this? What are you up to?" Barked the man, the volume throwing his step towards the demon that slowly looked up and gazed at him, ever watchful and patient. Calculative, manipulative, damned creature…Hellsing's blunt teeth grated together as his steps crashed into the stones. In his mind it was loud, a thundering sound, but in Alucard's ears, he only heard the clicking of the heels taking solid steps towards him. They were manageable and relatively controlled, in his view. But in Abraham's, he was marching. War with a demon, he thought. He was going to hit the demon, strike him with an angered fist. But it was an open hand that touched the demon, flattening his hair onto his features and stroking the stream of grayed satin down over the covered brow, the veiled red eye, the obscured cheek. The hair was soft, while his features were sharp and distinct. Abraham had kneeled down before the beast, and his hands caught his jaw, one hand shifted the long lock of hair to also cover the demon's pale lips that were soon warmed by human flesh. Hands touched the cool jaw.

He owned this creature; he could touch this creature, and that made him feel pleased with himself. He brushed the hair away and grinned nonchalantly at the two red orbs that shown up at him. He petted the side of Alucard's head, feeling his hair. "Are you scheming again? If you tell me, I won't be angry. I can forgive you if you confess, Alucard. I named you, didn't I?"

The man…when was the last time he had touched a human being, felt skin as warm as his own? Alucard's eyes narrowed, but without anger or any form of negativity behind them. He knew the man was lonely, so he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and calmly kept his eyes on the blue pair above him. "You did name me."

The man gave a thin smile and took a breath. He exhaled, touching another section of grayish black hair. It was quite dark in the cell, but the man did not seem to notice that the lantern he had set on the stones was at an off angle, giving the area that the two occupied the poorest lighting it could offer. "But are you scheming? What is your petty little plan now, monster? What do you want from me? What do you plan on doing to me next? Tell me. I'm so curious." The smile held as the man cocked his head to the side.

"Nothing now, Master." The demon replied, his eyes blinking on occasion as he spoke slowly. "My mind is rather blank at the moment. I said I would accompany you. I am not afraid of you presence, Master. I would be able to serve you well, if you'd let me."

"Let you? It is my choice, isn't it?" He grinned and then sat back on his haunches, his hands covering his thighs for a time as he sighed contently. "You are not scheming?"

"No. Not anymore, Master. Not for some time."

"How long?"

"Since you saw me last, before I was 'awakened' by the woman you sent to me."

"So you had learned your lesson? Yes. It has been some time since you have stolen something from me…but the wine."

"I regret the wine, Master."

"Oh…" The hands slapped the thighs lightly as the man chuckled with a wider smile. "You regret the wine?" He mocked. "Fine, you regret the wine. One can regret many things, but that does not mean anything. Nothing comes from regret. Nothing at all. One can ponder all the different courses events could have taken if only one thing had been changed, if only one other precaution had been taken!"

"You are angry with me?"

The face became blank, almost confused. Confusion only appeared in the creases about the blue eyes and part of the well used brow. "No. I'm not. Not now."

Alucard inclined his head, his eyes closed. When he raised it and opened them, the man was staring, observing him.

"You are so quiet. Have you always been this quiet, Slave?"

Alucard moved his head and his hair moved with it, breathing when he didn't feel inclined to. "For the truth, I'll say, I'm not sure, Master. I do not keep track of myself, well. Do I seem quiet tonight?"

The man stared, his jaw fixed. Then it moved. "Yes."

"Does this bother you?"

"…No." The man murmured as he rose to his feet, straightening his long legs and forgetting to brush off the dust and dirt that clung to his pants from the ground. He went to his lantern, lifting it to dangle by his side as he carried it to the door. He opened it slowly, and then slammed it shut behind him. So he was gone…and he would come back tomorrow, or in a few days, the demon mused, closing his eyes to reach for sleep. He was tired still, but it was better than before. He was being fed regularly, once a night, half a bottle of cold blood. The absence of his coffin left the grayish touch in his hair. It would most likely remain this way, if nothing more changed for the creature.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

Abraham returned the very next night, but he never fully entered the cell. He came and opened the door, but then left it this way and only watched the demon and the red flares that burned in the gloom that was not dispersed by the light pouring in from the open door. They maintained the exchange of gazes, and then the man turned and the door was shut.

The following night, Abraham avoided the monster. When the moon rose again, Abraham did not descend the stairs to enter his dungeon. Instead, he called the vampire to his office. He ordered the silent creature to sit in the chair stationed before a tall window that contained the clouded moon and the rest of the starry night sky. Alucard followed the man's instructions wordlessly and lowered himself into the familiar chair. It was much smaller now than when he had last occupied it in his child form. The whispers of papers and the reluctant groan of a tired binding filled the office as the man read the bound pages placed on his desk. He lifted a pen and added notes to the papers.

Like this, the demon observed, the man appeared to be perfectly functional, and perhaps he was, with regards to his work, but the isolated emptiness and quiet of the office informed him of the man's separation from other humans. No pictures or paintings adorned the walls, the man's desk, or any of his shelves. It was bland and empty. A frame that had once held the image of his wife was still present on one of his shelves, but it was empty, a black slate with nothing written on it.

Red roamed the office, taking all it offered to his view. The orbs came to rest on the man and the scribbling pen lining the white pages with black ink.

"You work quite late into the night, Master."

Abraham didn't answer as the vampire watched the moving pen continue with a steady consistency. The red directed itself forward, to observe the wall and shelves. "It speaks of dedication... Are you having much success with your work?"

"Yes." The pen had not stopped moving.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

Alucard glanced at the man. He never presented the vampire with a way to draw out a topic, but the man was willing to talk. The vampire decided to give him another question. "How was the weather today?"

"Overcast and cold."

Three words. One word, two words, and then three. "Do you like this type of weather?"

"No."

One word. We lost progress. "What type of weather do you enjoy, Master?"

A page turned and a few sentences were read before the man gave his indifferent reply. "I don't care about the weather."

The demon watched his Master for a time, and then returned his gaze to the wall and blinked. Six words. "My favorite weather for the daytime would be an overcast, somewhat chilly day. So today was one such day?"

"That's what I said, Slave. Don't make me repeat myself. It's bothersome."

Twelve words and three sentences. "My favorite sky for the night is one in which the clouds are wispy and few, the stars are bright and clear, with the moon, full and colored beyond the usual white that characterizes it." Abraham did not have any comments to make, so Alucard carried on with another question. "How do you like the night to be?"

"I don't care for the night. You talk of useless, meaningless things. It annoys me."

Fifteen words. The vampire determined that there was no need to count anymore, and his lips pulled into a small smile as he watched the man lift the booklet and read it more closely. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Nothing." Came a hard voice and the booklet was dropped so that it flattened with a dull sound and the man's pen could stab into it. "Absolutely nothing."

The demon's gaze lingered without his smile. It was quiet. "Would you like me to stop talking?"

Hellsing said nothing as he wrote with his pen, using up the store of black ink within it, each letter he built demanded a portion of the ink and it was slowly draining the pen of its usefulness. A page was turned and the pen was set on the desk. When it was reclaimed, the mortal spoke. "No. Keep talking. But don't ask me too many questions or I'll put you back in the cell."

The smile came back to the dead creature and he closed his eyes and felt the comfort of his chair. "Yes, Master. What do you think of the turning of the century?"

"A year is a year, Slave." The man sighed, turning his pages. "A century, a century, what difference does it all make?"

"None. The world changes every year. Sometimes inventions have wide, sweeping influence over nations and peoples, and sometimes wars are begun or ended. It always varies. This century was full of inventions and innovations, wasn't it?"

"You lived through more of it than I did."

"I did. I've lived through four centuries and they always contained change, but this century might have contained the most, or at least, the most I have seen develop and change human lives. I, personally, like trains, though, they do not do much for the landscape or the air…or general heath, for that matter. Factories and fumes, production and waste, humans will soon have to devise a way to control what their actions ultimately amount to."

Abraham did not speak as Alucard continued this one sided conversation. The demon would ask himself questions and then answer them, saying things that Abraham already knew, asking things that Abraham could have answered. The man was working and focusing on what he was reading and what notes he jotted down. He opened a notebook to look up the schedule that had been laid out for him tomorrow, and then he moved on to something else.

"I'm not quiet tonight, but that doesn't bother you, Master?"

"No. I told you to talk." There was a pause that was filled by the human's pen. He angled a piece of paper to make it easier to write on. "Have you been pursuing your hobby with the straps?"

The vampire took too long to answer so Abraham looked up with narrowed eyes to find a smile directed at him. The eyes relaxed to take in the full effect the expression had on the demon's face. "Why are you smiling, Slave? What amuses you?"

"I might have entertained myself with the suit last night. I don't remember. The nights sometimes blend, for me."

"Why do they blend?"

There are parts of the night that have no distinct difference from other nights, so they blend in my mind and I think of one night without knowing if it was a piece of last night or the one before that, or a mixture of both."

Blue and red stayed with one another for another moment before Abraham looked down at his papers and he shuffled them together to put them away. "That's all for now, Slave. Return to your cell."

The vampire stood slowly, retaining his smile in the corners of his eyes. This was a satisfactory night. "Good night, Master."

The man stopped what he was doing and his eyes sought the already departed figure. He let himself look at the chair until he tired of it. Abraham filed his papers away and turned off his lamps before turning in for bed.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

Alucard was called to return to the office when the moon rose as the sun descended over the horizon. It was a full moon that took to the sky tonight. Alucard sat in his chair and readied to speak, when he noticed the man's yawn. Once it had expired, Abraham rubbed a tired eye and returned to his work. The creature watched him and waited for another yawn. A small one came.

"Master, would you like some tea to keep you awake?" He could ask one of his servants.

The human stared at the demon blankly, as if he had said something shocking. Then Hellsing recovered and frowned at his work. "Then you can make me some tea." Alucard stiffened, gazing at the man that shoed him away with his hand. "Go on. Turn into the room four or so doors down the hall. The cupboard has everything you need, and the stove in there always has a teakettle on it. Go now. Go."

The beast did as he was told. He found the room, lit the stove, boiled some water and poured it into a teacup and set it on a saucer…but that was the extent of his knowledge on the art of making tea. He stared at the white porcelain he could see through the steaming clear water. The creature looked up at the opened cupboard doors and his eyes ran over the different herbs and the cloth contraptions. He looked down at a drawer and pulled it open to take out a spoon he placed next to the cup on the saucer. Then he was stuck again.

How does one make tea? Yes, ask the creature that has never tasted tea in its life to make the beverage for you. Perfectly reasonable logic. Yes. And next time he should ask the vampire to catch him a fish out in the sea and then cook and prepare it for him. _Tea_. The demon scoffed and turned on his heel sharply. He faded from the room and appeared in the office, before the man's desk, causing Hellsing to flinch and glare at him.

"No tea?" The man frowned.

"I don't know how to make tea."

Nothing was said as the man lost his glare and frown to a look of bare surprise. Then he glowered and muttered curses to himself as he stood, pushing himself up with his hands, and he strode to the door, opened and closed it. Alucard walked through it and followed his Master. The man took out the herbs, tied them accordingly in the cloth. The water in the teakettle was transferred to a teapot and the bound package of herbs was lowered into the water while the pot's lid kept it suspended by a string. With rough movements, he put the supplies away and cleaned whatever mess was left behind. The water in the teacup was scowled at and then dashed into the sink.

"Why offer the tea if you do not know how to make it?" His teeth snapped at the vampire, but he was occupying himself with the teapot again.

Alucard waited, figuring what his best response should be, and then he lowered his eyes to the teapot as it was positioned onto a tray. "I can carry the tray."

It was practically shoved into his arms. "At least you know how to do _that_." Sneered Hellsing before he left the tea room and went back to his office with the vampire behind him. He slammed the door in Alucard's face, coming close to hitting the tray in the process. Carefully, the demon fazed through the obstruction and arrived in front of his Master's desk. He smiled.

"Tea?"

Two dimmed blue eyes lifted and then ignored the monster. The tray was slipped onto the desk and the cup and saucer were set to the side of the man. The tea was poured, then left to steam, moistening the air. Eventually, a hand lifted the cup and the man glared over it, piercing the demon that sat in the chair by the window, with the look. Then Abraham shook his head in disgust and took a sip. The blue eyes flew open and the tea was instantly returned to the cup when Hellsing spat it out reflexively. He put it down and looked at the tea for a while. "I'd forgotten how bad I am at making tea."

Fangs glinted with light when they smiled, amused by Abraham's expression and by what he had said. "Shall I fetch a woman? Who is it that usually makes you tea?"

Shadows darkened on Hellsing's face as it turned down to his work and he picked up his pen. "My wife made my tea, Slave."

The fangs and smile disappeared. Moments later, Abraham pushed his papers away with a hiss and demanded that Alucard go to his cell. He was going to sleep; he didn't feel like working right now. He would sleep instead, he declared as he departed. The demon haunted the empty office, looking about himself, pacing in thought. He took up the tray and returned it to the tea room and then faded from the room after filling the tea kettle with water and setting it on a burner.


	14. Chapter 14

The room was warm, pleasant and safe, with quality furniture and a comfortable bed covered by a supple comforter fitting the mold of the figure lying on the mattress. None of this was even noticed by the vampire that stepped to the side of the bed after passing through the wall. The woman was sleeping peacefully, but again, that did not matter to Alucard. He needed the woman, so he picked up the female, covering her mouth to stifle the annoying screams, not bothering to look at her pale, distressed features or feel her trembling form. Held captive in the dead, cold arms and unable to cry for help, Madelyn Blackwell was transported via phantom passage through the walls, to the small room where the teakettle was whispering to itself. The woman gasped when she was set on her feet, propped up for a moment to make sure that she would stand, and then released from the demon. Tired, bewildered, and disoriented, Blackwell gazed with wide, uncomprehending eyes at her surroundings, barely picking up the sound of the voice that spoke to her.

"Show me how to make tea, and if you know how the Mrs. Hellsing used to make tea, show me how she did so in the past."

I am having the most deranged dream a human being has ever found themselves having. Large, dark eyes stared at Alucard, blinking as a young owl does in the night when it spies something obscure and curious. Pale lips frowned at the likeness, unamused as the creature's own fatigue added weight to his eyelids. With a growl roughening his voice, Alucard took the woman's shoulder, stealing another gasp from her lungs, and made her face the stove. The teakettle's voice was strengthening as its whispering conversation became a heated argument, an irritated whistle entering its tone as patience escaped with the steam that came as an unobservable wisp from its mouth. Madelyn blinked at the teakettle but knew how to respond to this sight, unlike the sight of the vampire, and she moved to the cupboard, instinctively making use of the hot water and following the vampire's demand though she did not understand why she was compelled to satisfy the demon. It felt like she had no choice in the matter, that she was stripped bare of her free will in this creature's presence now that he had a purpose set in his mind. No one could defy the vampire, came the obvious conclusion at the end of her muddled thoughts.

It was a disturbing feeling, so the woman decided not to give it too much of her attention, focusing on making the tea instead. She spoke after pouring the water into a tea pot, her hands returning to the herbs she was working with. "I don't know how the mistress used to make Sir Hellsing his tea, but I know how to make my own rather _exceptional_ tea that the mistress sometimes drank when she did not feel like making her own." A smugness animated her lips, but nothing more could be done to her tired features.

The vampire did not comment, though the woman felt his eyes flick to the back of her head for a moment and then move to her hands, catching every detail of her shifting muscles and what actions they permitted.

Sugar. The woman was adding a small quantity of sugar and now a teaspoon of honey, swirling the golden nectar in the teacup, allowing it to disperse throughout the liquid, altering its color slightly. Now a dash of lemon juice, the fruit being slit and the few precious drops captured by the cup... His master had not done these things, but then the tea he had made had been horrible. An amusing memory. I at least know how to tell if he does not find something to his taste. Alucard's musings came to a close when he was presented with the steaming tea, the yawning, baggy-eyed woman sighing and requesting permission, with a hint of sarcasm, to return to her bed and sleep so that she might be able to work efficiently the next day. Alucard took the tea and turned away from Blackwell as his indication of permission. He heard a snort that lacked humor and then the door opened and was shut in a resentful manner. The teacup and the saucer it was resting on tapped softly against the surface of the counter, losing the crimson of the vampire's reflected eyes as they shifted back to the teapot and then to the teakettle. Another teacup was taken down from the cupboard and the sugar, honey, and lemon were retrieved once the cup had been filled with the appropriate amount of water.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

A yawn that motivated the man's arms to rise with a stretch filled Hellsing's office in the morning hours after the man had seen to other duties and had received his breakfast. A sigh was given to the air where it flitted about the room, reaching some parts of it and denying its presence to others. The arms went to their proper positions and Abraham went to his desk, pulled back his chair, and lowered himself into it, content for the moment with how the world around him was functioning. His neutral expression rose to see beyond the wooden surface of his desk, and blue eyes climbed the black obstruction that had not been there mere seconds before. They blinked at the unmistakable identity of the pale face that contained the burning crimson eyes. What was the cretin up to so early in the day? The man's face was furrowed by his displeased frown that tugged at his mouth to display his opinion. Then a metallic luster stole the blue gaze, and Abraham found the tray weighted by a cup and saucer. Abraham blinked once more, this time at the unexpected companion the demon had brought into his office.

"Morning tea, Master?"

Critical eyes narrowed at the demon's apparent weariness that contrasted with his easy smirk, as if he were humored by his own presence, or the tea's, or his master's expression. Scheming again, he must be. Why is the monster here with tea? Why the tea again? I did not ask for tea, did I? No. Never. Not for today. He is giving me something I did not demand. …This does not make sense. It is not in his nature to be so cordial and generous. What is his scheming, limited, selfish, little child mind thinking?

"Why?" A harsh tone demanded with such a sudden, disruptive voice that the warm, amber liquid rippled, unseen by any eyes in the room. The vampire's expression did not change outwardly, but any humor that breathed some semblance of life into it faded away. The smirking creature let a pause take the room, and then he spoke as he moved forward to lower the tray to the desk and then remove the tea.

"To give you a pleasant morning…and to stimulate your mind with caffeine."

Abraham watched as the saucer slid over the desk to sit before him, feeble rings disturbing the surface of the liquid for a moment. When the water settled, Abraham's face lifted to glare at the demon suspiciously. Alucard only smiled. Abraham's glare narrowed to a slit and then suddenly plunged to find the tea. His arm came to rest on the surface of the desk, his hand a tight fist that pressed into the wood. With jerking, deliberating thoughts, the hand uncurled, traveling to grasp the cup. Another moment went by with Alucard watching his master as the man glared hatefully at the tea, and then the cup left its saucer, gradually arriving at Hellsing's mouth. The man stubbornly refused to accept the sent, holding his breath until his lips parted at the touch of the cup.

Abraham took a sip of the tea, eyes almost closing. They softened at the sweet taste, and lungs swallowed the aroma. Hellsing set the cup on its saucer again, gazing at it without an apparent response. Seconds ticked by, the human blinking sometimes while the dead eyes never moved.

"It's too sweet."

Alucard's mouth quirked to the side and red eyes finally blinked. "I will not give it as much sweetness next time."

The vampire's statement was ignored and the human pushed the tea to the side, opening a drawer as far it allowed, and proceeded to sift through organized folders of work and reports he needed to read, or documents that required his signature. The demon deciphered this as being an order to take the tea away, so he reached for the cup. Blue flicked to the pale hand as Hellsing frowned, dropping his eyes to his drawer again. "Leave it. I won't let it go to waste because of _your_ error, Slave." Papers were drawn out sharply and the drawer snapped shut with the shove of an ungentle hand. Abraham fixed the edges of the papers by hitting them on the desk, standing at their height in his hands.

When the man shot a new glare at his office, he found that it was now empty. Without a pause of hesitation, Abraham went on with his work, stopping a few minutes later to take a sip of tea.

*~*~::..+..::~*~*

Alucard went directly to his cell after leaving the silver tray on the counter in the tea room, beside the stove and the teapot that contained the remainder of the batch of steaming tea. Reaching the far wall at the back of the cell, the vampire sat on the stones, propping himself up against the wall, and passed out of consciousness. No sounds came to the stone chamber as the sun rode across the heavens, shortening and then lengthening Earthly shadows. There was only silence and darkness in the cell.


End file.
